KIDMAC : Showtime

He's recently been catching the ear of many in the music industry's biggest market, the United States, but now Sydney hip-hop local KidMAC has returned to his home shores to unleash his new single 'Showtime'. The clip (featured below) includes guest appearances from world surfing champion Taj Burrows and Cronulla NRL star Reni Maitua. It ain't bad either - though after having hip-hop from the US rammed down our throats for the past however many years, the desperately Australian accent might take us a few listens to get used to. 'Showtime' is available at iTunes now.

MCLARNON LESS ATOMIC

One third of iconic (now defunct) UK pOp trio Atomic Kitten, Liz McLarnon doesn't seem to want to give up her dreams of being a pOp singer - and she's been travelling throughout Europe writing and recording with some of the biggest names in the pOp business, including at the Cosmos studios in Sweden.
Fans have been getting an earful of the new tunes over at Liz's OFFICIAL MYSPACE PAGE and it seems that a new EPK and the release of a new single (called 'Lately') should be announced shortly.

THE pOp RADAR

NEW ALBUMS COMING SOON:

ANNIE : DON'T STOP
MELANIE B : REIMAGINED
BLACK EYED PEAS : THE E.N.D.
TONI BRAXTON : PULSE
CDB : THE FUNK SESSIONS
MISSY ELLIOT : BLOCK PARTY
EMINEM : RELAPSE
MACY GRAY : THE GRAY LIFE
SHELLEY HARLAND : RED LEAF
KERI HILSON : IN A PERFECT WORLD
WHITNEY HOUSTON : UNDEFEATED
JEM : DOWN TO EARTH
JUST JACK : ALL NIGHT CINEMA
NICK LACHEY : COMING UP FOR AIR
LADY SOVEREIGN : JIGSAW
LITTLE BIRDY : CONFETTI
JENNIFER LOPEZ : GREATEST HITS
LUIGI MASI : SAVE HIS SHOES
MASSIVE ATTACK : WEATHER UNDERGROUND
DANIEL MERRIWEATHER : LOVE & WAR
LISA MITCHELL : THE ATTIC SPACE
MANDY MOORE : AMANDA LEIGH
MICHAEL PAYNTER : THIS WELCOME DIVERSION
PEACHES : I FEEL CREAM
DANIEL POWTER : UNDER THE RADAR
RAEN : AFTER THE STORM
LIONEL RICHIE : JUST GO
ROB THOMAS : CRADLE SONGS
WEST END GIRLS : SHOPLIFTING
JENNY WILSON : HARDSHIPS

PLUS: ACE OF BASE, CHRISTINA AGUILERA, AVALANCHES, BASEMENT JAXX, DANIEL BEDINGFIELD, ANDY BULL, ALEXANDRA BURKE, ANTHONY CALLEA, JAMIE CULLUM, KATE DEARAUGO, DIRTY LAUNDRY, SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR, ESKIMO JOE, NELLY FURTADO, KATE HAVNEVIK, PARIS HILTON, NATALIE IMBRUGLIA, INFUSION, MANIC STREET PREACHERS, MIKA, SHANNON NOLL, PAULINI, RHYS, KELLY ROWLAND, SCISSOR SISTERS, GUY SEBASTIAN, JORDIN SPARKS, SHANIA TWAIN, THE VERONICAS, ROBBIE WILLIAMS

NEW SINGLES COMING SOON:

ANNIE : ANTHONIO
AVENUE : CAN YOU FEEL IT
DEPECHE MODE : WRONG
DIDO : QUIET TIMES
DOVES : KINGDOM OF RUST
FREEMASONS : IF
GIRLS ALOUD : UNTOUCHABLE
CALVIN HARRIS : I’M NOT ALONE
KATE HAVNEVIK : HALO
JENNIFER HUDSON : IF THIS ISN’T LOVE
LEON JACKSON : CREATIVE
NICK LACHEY : PATIENCE
JENNIFER LOPEZ : HOOKED ON YOU
DANIEL MERRIWEATHER : CHANGE
MISSY ELLIOT : BEST BEST
RAEN : HONEY
SANTOGOLD : SAY A-HA
SATURDAYS : JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH
TAKE THAT : UP ALL NIGHT
t.A.T.u. : WHITE ROBE
TING TINGS : WE WALK
SANDER VAN DOORN VS ROBBIE WILLIAMS : CLOSE MY EYES
THE VERVE : JUDAS

NB - all releases subject to change & list is updated bi-monthly

NEWS WRAP

* According to the Jive Records' Britney Spears website Britney.com, this is the official cover art/packshot for the forthcoming Britney single 'If You Seek Amy'. According to our sources, the single to be released in Australia on March 13 will feature the album version of the track, plus the Joe Bermudez radio edit of previous single 'Circus'.
* Upcoming British girl group The Saturdays, on the verge of releasing their Depeche Mode cover for charity, have revealed that they're already hard at work on the follow-up to their 2008 album 'Chasing Lights'. The girls, who are reportedly extremely keen to crack the US market, are set to release the new album before the end of the year.
* And speaking of girl groups - it would appear that local trio Trinity, who we raved about in July last year, have lost a member and are now working as a duo (see picture below). Thankfully, they continue to upload new tracks to their MYSPACE SITE, including a track called 'Upload This'.

LIBERATOR SIGNS LADY SOVEREIGN

Australia's Liberator Music has announced that they've signed the forthcoming album for UK rap artist Lady Sovereign for release in Australia. The 23 year old's forthcoming album 'Jigsaw' is set for release into stores locally on April 17 and will be preceded by the first single 'So Human' on April 03 (digital release only). The Liberator deal will work in conjunction with the singer's own label 'Midget Records'. 'So Human' samples the Cure classic 'Close To Me' and the video features the singer spending rather a long time on the red carpet making sure that all the world's plastic people get their comeuppance. She's just about keepin' it real.

AN AUDIENCE WITH TINA ARENA

auspOp hears that Australian chanteuse Tina Arena will film a television special in Sydney whilst she's in the city for concerts as part of her 'Songs Of Love And Loss 2' Australian tour. 'An Audience With Tina Arena' is scheduled to be filmed on March 10 at Foxtel's North Ryde studios, with a celebrity-filled audience asking the singer questions in between Tina performing songs from her classic hits and her latest album 'Songs Of Love And Loss 2'. The show is based on the almost 30 year old UK TV format of the same name. There's no word yet on an airdate for the Tina Arena special. Meanwhile, the singer will release a 'best of' in France at the end of March. 'Le Best Et Le Meilleur' will combine 20 of the best of Tina's English and French hits, reportedly with a couple of new songs thrown in for good measure. It's scheduled for release in France on March 30.

BEEN WAITING FOR JESS'S NEW SINGLE?

We've 'been waiting' so long for more details to emerge about the forthcoming third Jessica Mauboy single 'Been Waiting'. More details have now emerged (including the long-awaited packshot for the fans) and the tracklisting of the single, which has been confirmed by Sony Music today as;

01. Been Waiting
02. Now I Know
03. Been Waiting (Champion Lovers remix)
04. Burn (Acoustic)

The release date for the physical single, however, may be pushed back slightly, but expect it in the shops within the next couple of weeks.

GETTING VICIOUS IN '09

The Vicious Cuts compilation series has been growing in pOpularity year after year and after a one year hiatus, the Vicious Cuts name is about to re-appear in music stores across the country. This time around, the release is once again brimming with not one, but TWO discs, one mixed by Master John Course and the other mixed by Sir Ian Carey, who's been enjoying much success on the Aussie single chart with his track 'Get Shaky'. Once again, it contains some rather delicious dancefloor anthems from some of the biggest names in the business like Roger Sanchez, Vandalism Bodyrox, and the Ian Carey Project, along with the cream of local talent (see Dirty South, Potbelleez, Sneaky Sound System, Stafford Brothers). The DJs Ian and John will be touring Australia and New Zealand throughout March in support of the disc's release. The double disc set hits the stores on March 13.

IN THE SHOPS FRIDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2009

Kate Ceberano – All That Jazz
Evermore - Hey Boys And Girls (CD single)
Chris Isaak – Mr.Lucky
Kings Of Leon – Revelry (CD single)
Kate Miller-Heidke – Caught In The Crowd (CD single)
Kylie Minogue - Boombox
OST – Confessions Of A Shopaholic
The Prodigy – Invaders Must Die
Short Stack – Princess (CD single)
Taylor Swift – Fearless (Australian Edition)
U2 – No Line On The Horizon (Box version)
U2 – No Line On The Horizon (Digipak version)
U2 – No Line On The Horizon (Magazine version)
Various – The Anthems II

GIVE YOUR COINS TO THE CATS

Calling all Sydney-siders!! Whatcha doin' tomorrow? It's gonna be a fine sunny day with temp-eratures nudging 30º, so what better time to head into the great outdoors, catch an awesome Aussie outfit live and throw a few gold coins in for a good cause!? After having to decline a part in forthcoming bushfire concerts due to prior commitments, The Cat Empire will head to two of Sydney's most popular locations tomorrow to busk, in an effort to raise funds for the Victorian Bushfire Appeal. The band is also making sure that both events are carbon neutral, by purchasing accredited renewable energy certificates from green group Climate Friendly. So to be part of this amazing event that proves once and for all that the band can indeed play anywhere, there are two locations you need to be. And remember, both these events are happening tomorrow, Saturday February 28.

11:30am : BONDI BEACH (On the grass to the side of the Pavillion)
1:30pm : CIRCULAR QUAY (First Fleet Park)

MORE V FESTIVAL SIDESHOWS

The V Festival 09 is taking over the country from the end of next month and with the time to the kick off ticking on down, Michael Coppel has just announced the final run of sideshows for bands on the V Festival bill! Madness, Human League, M83 and The Kills will all play side shows whilst they're in the country, with UK outfit Madness even making the trip to the Apple Isle for a show there. Tickets for all new side shows go on sale next Friday, March 06 at 9am.

MADNESS
March 26 : Sydney (Luna Park Big Top)
March 31 : Melbourne (Palace Theatre)
April 01 : Adelaide (Thebarton Theatre)
April 03 : Hobart (Moorilla Estate Winery)

HUMAN LEAGUE
April 01 : Sydney (Enmore Theatre)
April 03 : Melbourne (Palace Theatre)

M83
March 31 : Brisbane (The Zoo)
April 01 : Melbourne (Prince Of Wales)
April 02 : Sydney (Metro Theatre)

THE KILLS
March 30 : Brisbane (The Zoo)
April 01 : Sydney (The Forum)
April 03 : Melbourne (Prince Of Wales)

SHEA : Don't Chase Me

Aussie artist Shea Fisher hails from a small country town in Western Victoria and during a stint living in the US with her family, she fell in love with country music. Releasing her last album 'Everyday Girl' through ABC/Warner Music in 2007, the songstress has decided to tone down the twang to her music ever so slightly with this, her new single. The song and it's accompanying clip could almost be ripped straight from the halls of a teen Disney movie, with it's sunny cheerleader disposition. It's an alluring blend of country and pOp that we'll call 'pUntry' for the sake of argument. The single's lifted from the singer's new album 'Shea', due in stores on March 20.

EOTS OFF TO ICELAND

They've con-quered Shang-hai and Mexico in their first two video clips, but now it appears the boys from Aussie outfit Empire Of The Sun have their sights set on majestic Iceland for the clip to their next single from album 'Walking On A Dream'. And the duo, already experiencing chart success in Europe, is also looking to rope in pOp royalty Elton John and Brandon Flowers for future clips, according to a new article published in yesterday's 'THE SUN' newspaper. Looks like Luke and Nick are set for total and utter global domination.

THE AUSTRALIAN pOp CD NEW RELEASE SCHEDULE:

March 06
Wes Carr – Feels Like Whoa (CD single)
Kelly Clarkson – All I Ever Wanted
Living End – White Noise : Rarities Collector’s Edition
1 Giant Leap – What About Me
Panjo 5 – Stay Closer (CD single)
Pussycat Dolls – Bottle Pop (CD single)
Secondhand Serenade – A Twist In My Story (Deluxe Edition)
Secondhand Serenade – Your Call (CD single)
Starsailor – All The Plans
Starsailor – All The Plans (Limited Edition)
Taylor Swift – Love Story (CD single) CD2
Various – Smoove
Various – Triple J Hottest 100 : Volume 16

March 13
Chicane vs Natasha Bedingfield – I Bruise Easily (CD single)
Chris Cornell – Scream
Jessica Mauboy – Been Waiting (CD single)
OST – Inspector Rex
Jenny Queen – After The Dance
Britney Spears – If You Seek Amy (CD single)
Various – Guilty Pleasures 2
Various – Vicious Cuts 2009
Stevie Wonder – Live At Last (DVD)

March 20
Björk – Voltaic (Limited Edition)
Wes Carr – The Way The World Looks
Decemberists – Hazards Of Love
Evermore – Truth Of The World
Florence And The Machine – Dog Days (CD single)
OST – Underbelly : A Tale Of Two Cities
Pet Shop Boys – Yes
Radiohead – The Bends : Collector’s Edition
Radiohead – OK Computer : Collector’s Edition
Radiohead – Pablo Honey : Collector’s Edition
Raen – Honey (CD single)
Busta Rhymes – Back On My BS
Röyksopp – Junior
Röyksopp – Junior (Limited Edition)
Barbra Streisand – The Concerts (3DVD set)
Various – Now : The Hits Of Autumn 2009
Various – Skitzmix 31
Various – V Festival Presents

March 27
Bow Wow – New Jack City : Part II
Doves – Kingdom Of Rust (CD single)
PJ Harvey – A Woman A Man Walked By
Diana Krall – Quiet Nights
Annie Lennox – The Collection
Lost Valentinos – Serio (CD single)
James Morrison & Nelly Furtado – Broken Strings (CD single)
Pete Murray – Chance To Say Goodbye (CD single)
OST – The Boat That Rocked
Keith Urban – Defying Gravity
Various – A World Of Pop (DVD)
Various – So Fresh : The Hits Of Autumn 2009
Various – Video Hits : 1 Hit Wonders (3CD set)

April 03
3OH!3 - Want
Ciara – Fantasy Ride
Cassie Davis – Differently (CD single)
Doves – Kingdom Of Rust
Doves – Kingdom Of Rust (Special Edition)
Bob Evans – Goodnight Bull Creek
Flo Rida – R.O.O.T.S.
Shelley Harland – Wonder (CD single)
Ricky Martin - 17
Jazmine Sullivan – Fearless

April 10
Various – Housework Songs III

April 17
Depeche Mode – Sounds Of The Universe
Paul Potts – Passions

April 24
Keri Hilson – In A Perfect World

May 08
Little Birdy - Confetti
Various – Floorfillers : Party Anthems 2009

June 05
Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.

NB - all release dates subject to change & list is updated weekly

LEMAR : Weight Of The World

It's been a fair while between drinks for UK soul singer Lemar - his last single 'The Reason' was released in early November. But all's forgiven as the singer releases his new single and accompanying video. And after a little bit of persistence, we're finally able to show it to you. See his record company Sony has limited the number of countries that can see the official clip, also taking away the embed codes needed for blogs like ours. But here 'tis (finally) - the mid-tempo track accompanied by a clip featuring the former Fame Academy contestant climbing to the top of a hill in order to outstretch his arms and allow lots of breath to enter his lungs in time for the chorus. It's pleasant enough.

AVIMA NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

The nominees in the world's biggest independent music awards have been announced in Malaysia. The Asia Voice Independent Music Awards celebrate the very best in independent music throughout Asia, with Malaysia topping the nods with 36 nominations. Other countries represented in the awards include Thailand, Indonesia, India, Korea, Phillippines, Singapore and even the United Arab Emirates and they're all competing in 20 different categories that range from 'Best pOp/R&B Song' to 'Best Song To Play At Camp Fire and To Do Away With Monday Morning Blues', though how they'll fit the latter title on a trophy, we're not sure. The AVIMA winners will be announced during a web-based event on March 29.
To see a full list of the nominees, head to the AVIMA site.

ROYKSOPP BREAKS COVER

We must admit to being quite taken by the artwork for the new Röyksopp single and album - it delightfully fresh and light - and going on the first single 'Happy Up Here', we're also pretty certain that we're going to like the musical contents of both, even though there are two chances of a Röyksopp 'Happy Up Here' CD single in Australia - buckleys and none. The album (in standard and deluxe editions) is out on March 20 - which at this stage is fast becoming the first big pOp release date of 2009 that's really going to empty our wallets of a collection of 'lobsters'.

LADYTRON : Tomorrow

We must admit to being a little surprised that UK electro darlings Ladytron are still releasing singles and accompany-ing video clips from their 2008 album 'Velocifero' - we thought the project had been put to bed eight months after the release of the album. But we're happy to report that it hasn't - and what's more, the video for the new single is a stunning piece of visual art. There's a kind of stylized retro feel to it with it's golden hues and soft lenses - the perfect soul-thawing antidote to what's been a particularly harsh British winter.

IT'S RAENING AGAIN

We don't know what's going on at the moment - these Australian girl bands must be hibernating on a tropical island somewhere off Queensland, simul-taneously readying their returns in order to conquer the pOp charts once again.
In Australia, it's been quite some time since we heard from Sydney girl group 'Raen'. They attempted to splash themselves across the pOp charts a couple of years ago with their single 'Get Right Back', a cover of the Maxine Nightingale classic 'Right Back Where We Started From'. Over the last couple of years, they've been away in Europe, honing their craft, picking up glowing praise from pOp luminaries along the way and working on new material with some of the best in the pOp business. Their new single 'Honey', produced by London remix team '7th Heaven', is an up-tempo slice of pOp brilliance and the film clip to accompany it (which we can't show you yet, but have seen) is glittering, bright and decidedly glamorous and features the girls against a spectacular LED backdrop. 'Honey' (out March 20) is the first single to be lifted from the girls' forthcoming album 'After The Storm', which is due for release later in the year. This may be a big call, but combining the 7th Heaven radio edit with the extraordinary video clip, 'Honey' for us is the single most exciting piece of Australian pOp we've clapped our ears around this year and from memory the strongest release from any Aussie girlband in at least a decade.
So now with girlband 'Raen' officially back to conquer our charts, we turn our attention to who'll be next to escape from the island - Young Divas? Chantoozies? The Teen Queens!?

NEWS WRAP

* We neglected to con-gratulate the winners of the two copies of the startlingly good 'FuturePOP 2.0' comp-ilations that we gave away last week thanks to our mates at EMI. So congratulations are due to Aaron from Tasmania and Mark from Victoria, both of whom picked up a copy. You can get your hands on yours at your nearest good music retailer.
* Shock Records has scored a major coup in securing the release rights to the next Placebo album for Australia and New Zealand. The as-yet-unnamed album, due for release in June, will be the first since the band split with worldwide music giant EMI. Pias will release the album in Britain.
* And Lady Gaga has teamed up with Britain's AOL website to offer you a totally and utterly FREE MP3 download - of the Pet Shop Boys remix of her single 'Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)'. It's not even available on iTunes! To get your mitts on the free download - hit the word GAGA!
* After our little 'open letter' to Universal Music earlier in the week regarding Girls Aloud and getting their music released in Australia, we thought we'd plop a pointless little poll over there in the right hand column. We'd love you to have your say! It's further down, underneath the 'chart links' and the 'pOp picture'.

DEPECHE MODE BREAKS COVER

Excitement continues to build for fans of UK electronic music outfit Depeche Mode, who will release their new album 'Sounds Of The Universe' in Australia on April 17. The packshot for the band's forthcoming album, their first in almost four years, has now broken cover and it's stylish and minimalistic with a little splash or two of colour. The dark, stylish clip for 'Wrong', the first single from the album, is below. It's one of those clips that suckers you in more as the storyline unfolds and it's gripping, engaging and most definitely scary.

MUSIC STARS UNITE FOR 'SOUND RELIEF'

Michael Gudinski and his Frontier Touring Company along with Michael Chugg and his touring company have come together this morning at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to announce two of the biggest concert events in Australian music history. Both the MCG and the SCG will come alive for the concerts, called 'Sound Relief', with some of the world’s biggest names in rock and pop confirmed to take to the stages on March 14th in an effort to raise funds for bushfire and flood relief. And the roll-call of star acts is truly staggering to say the least, with the reformation of iconic Aussie band Midnight Oil for the Melbourne event. A full list of the performers confirmed so far is listed below. Tickets for both shows are $75 and will go on sale first thing Wednesday March 4. For more information, head to the official SOUND RELIEF website.

SYDNEY : MARCH 14 @ THE SCG
Coldplay
Eskimo Joe
Hoodoo Gurus
Icehouse
Jet
Little Birdy
The Presets
Josh Pyke
Wolfmother
You Am I

MELBOURNE : MARCH 14 @ THE MCG
Augie March
Bliss 'N' Eso
Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson
Gabriella Cilmi
Liam Finn
Hunters And Collectors
Jack Johnson
Jet
Paul Kelly
Kings Of Leon
Midnight Oil
Split Enz
Wolfmother

PET SHOP BOYS : Love Etc.

The Pet Shop Boys have always been a little ahead of their time when it comes to their video clips - one only needs to look at the kerfuffle made by their 'Being Boring' clip with the naked man on the trampoline or the clips from the 'Very' era as proof. There were also a couple of famous mis-steps - see 'Home And Dry'. BUT, we're happy to say that the lads are back in better territory with the clip to their single 'Love Etc'. It features Neil and Chris in animated gaming territory, making their way through the tumultuous world of love. It's look is actually rather reminiscent of those 'Very' clips - think 'I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing' and 'Liberation', albeit a little more two dimensional. It's not what we were anticipating, but it's all rather striking all the same.

GRATUITOUS SHORT STACK

We're not sure how the boys from the Aussie outfit would take to being covered in lashings of traditional Canadian Maple Syrup or a sprinkling of sugar and lemon juice, but given today's Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), we thought we'd give you the gift of an er.. 'Short Stack'. And let's face it - this 'short stack' would almost certainly be much better for you than one that's made of copious amounts of butter, eggs, milk and flour. Happy Shrove Tuesday!

SLINKEE MINX RETURNS

They've been away from our charts for far too long, but the great news is that Australian pOp trio Slinkee Minx is back - and this time, they've hooked up with Adelaide production newcomers Digital Punks to bring you a tasty new slice of electro-pOp. And according to band member Annemarie, there's plenty more where it came from. "We are currently in the studio working on our follow-up album", she told auspOp today. "And in the past 12 months we've also written a number of tracks for other artists, as well as being involved in a few side-projects. So there's lots of upcoming tracks to listen out for in the near future". But before all that happens, we're decidedly content with the tasty pOp hors d'oeuvre that is 'Turn It Up' - available digitally from March 07. You can check it out now over at the SLINKEE MINX MYSPACE PAGE.

ZHANA'S STAR BURNS EVER BRIGHTER

New York dance diva Zhana has spent far too long in the shadows of others - dancing and providing back-up vocals for pOp luminaries such as C+C Music Factory, Dave Stewart and Taylor Dayne. But having stepped into the limelight of her own accord, Zhana is now collaborating with songwriter and label owner Christopher Bedrosian, who penned Zhana's new single 'Taste My Love' while on vacation in Florida. The track has been released in the United States on Christopher's own record label 'In2TheGroove Records'. You can check her out on her OFFICIAL MYSPACE page and can get your hands on one (or many) of the delicious remixes now available on iTunes.

TOURING : Natalie Bassingthwaighte

With her debut solo album finally in the shops over the weekend and a couple of exclusive gigs under her tiny belt, Aus pOpstress Nat Bass has decided to hit the road to give fans a full taster of her new material. She'll be playing five exclusive shows on the east coast throughout March and April. The singer has also promised fans she'll embark on a bigger tour of the country soon, presumably after her hosting commitments on Channel 10's 'So You Think You Can Dance' wrap up.

March 21 : Wollongong (Waves)
March 28 : Sydney (Cronulla Leagues)
April 11 : Melbourne (The Palms At Crown)
April 18 : Sydney (Revesby Workers Club)
April 25 : Sydney (The Cube - Campbelltown)

ATTENTION UNIVERSAL MUSIC AUSTRALIA

Dearest 'the powers that be' at Universal Music Australia. We have no idea why you don't love Girls Aloud as much as a growing number of Aussie fans do, but it appears the pressure for you to release the girls' music in Australia is growing with each passing day. True, you've not released any of the girls' music in Australia since the album 'Chemistry' and the first single from it, 'Biology'. But 'Biology' hit an impressive No.26 on the Aussie music charts. Imagine where the band would be nowadays if you'd have kept promoting and releasing their singles. Even though they're not released here, there are constant mentions of Girls Aloud in the pages of the major daily newspapers, regular pictures of the girls in the weekly glossy trash-mags and a growing number of celebrities throughout the world are beginning to get behind the Girls Aloud phenomenon. The group behind the biggest-selling album of 2008 (Coldplay) have invited them to be their support act for their forthcoming show at Wembley Stadium, for goodness sake!
Girls Aloud have scored an unprecedented 20 consecutive top 10 hits in the UK, have had their songs covered by everyone from The Artic Monkeys to Bloc Party, have won countless industry awards (including their first Brit Award this week for 'The Promise'), have performed sell-out concert tours and are at the cutting edge of pOp music, working with lyrical pOp royalty like Xenomania and the Pet Shop Boys.
Putting it plainly and simply, they are a pOp phenomenon and have released some of the world's best pOp songs during their (almost) seven year reign in the upper echelons of the UK charts.
And now, the push is on to get the girls' music released in Australia. The people behind this push have already succeeded in getting 'The Promise' added to the playlist of Austereo's 'Hot 30 Countdown' (the single is not even available digitally!?), they're already in contact with those in the media who love them despite your reluctance to release them here and they're now more determined than ever to make their voices heard. They're inviting everyone who wants to see Girls Aloud back in the charts down under to CONTACT UNIVERSAL MUSIC AUSTRALIA and let you know that if the Pussycat Dolls (who seem to enjoy your full support) can be successful here, so too can Girls Aloud. They've even made up this little video (below) to show they're entirely serious;



(Just a little suggestion... If you do end up releasing 'The Promise' in Australia, particularly on physical single, may we suggest you add the startlingly good Jason Nevins and Dave Aude remixes as b-sides. That way, not only would it be good value for US down under, but you'd have amazing export potential back into the girls' homeland where the remixes were only ever released digitally!).

THE BIRD AND THE BEE : Love Letter To Japan

Los Angeles based indy-pOp darlings The Bird And The Bee found moderate success in Australia through the song 'Again And Again' from their self-titled debut album, when it was featured on an episode of Channel 7's 'Grey's Anatomy'. Fast forward to 2009 and the band is back with their new album 'Ray Guns Are Not The Future', the second single from which is the pOptastic 'Love Letters To Japan'. It is easily (and already) one of our favourite tracks of 2009. Cue the video, in which a bunch of (we assume Japanese) students head into an LA fun-parlour in order to try their luck on one of those new-fandangled dancing machines. One of the bunch becomes disheartened with said machine and decides to forget his sorrows by inhaling two doughnuts at a nearby cafe. After just one bite, he begins hallucinating - seeing miniature versions of Greg and Inara on his tray (let's face it, the doughnut glazing alone can cause this). In an apparent dream sequence, he then rushes back to the arcade to try his luck once more and after failing at the first attempt, he practices for the rest of the day. We won't give away the ending, but suffice to say, with pOp hitmaker Greg Kurstin as part of the project, they can't fail in our books.

MILEY CYRUS : The Climb

Teen star Miley Cyrus' star continues to rise - after a mere seven days online at her record company's official Youtube site, the clip for her new single 'The Climb' had already garnered in excess of half a million views. The feature single from the forthcoming 'Miley Cyrus - The Movie', the clip opens with the Hannah Montana star climbing towards a CGI-peak, her guitar case in-hand. The song itself is essentially about learning to enjoy life's journey, keeping the faith and ultimately appreciating 'the climb' and should see the singer's run of successes on the US pOp music charts continue. We reckon this could cross over in Australia too, but for the fact that most radio programmers wouldn't touch a product branded 'Miley Cyrus'. Perhaps when it comes to sending this track to radio, EMI Australia might just tag it 'MC' instead of 'Miley Cyrus' and see if they garner some positive response. 'Cause the song's most certainly strong enough. We assume the movie and it's soundtrack should appear in Australia around school holiday time, but as yet, no release date for either is confirmed.

TOURING : Sia

The official announcement of former Adelaide resident Sia's Australian tour has yet to be made, but given tickets for the three Aussie shows go on sale first thing tomorrow morning, we thought we'd give you a little heads-up. The singer, who's just sent her new single 'Soon We'll Be Found' to radio in Australia will play Sydney, Melbourne and her hometown of Adelaide in three special performances in late March. She's also booked to appear live on the MTV Australia Awards, held in Sydney on March 27. Tickets for all dates go on sale at 9am tomorrow (Monday February 23).

March 25 : Sydney (The Metro Theatre)
March 29 : Melbourne (Corner Hotel)
March 31 : Adelaide (Governor Hindmarsh)

CHART WATCH

SINGLES : BANG!!! That's the sound of US rap artist Flo Rida slamming into the number one position this week with his Dead Or Alive-sampling new single 'Right Round'. It's been at quite some time since we've seen a debut in the No.1 position (it was reportedly Kylie's '2 Hearts' that last did it in late 2007). Beyonce's 'Halo' moves into the No.13 position this week, piggy-backing the singer's previous hit 'Single Ladies' (at No.12). On the back of it's removal from the playlists of radio stations around the country because of the recent Victorian bushfires, Jessica Mauboy's single 'Burn' drops from No.9 to No.20 in just one week. The Lonely Island sees it's 'Jizz In My Pants' move up from No.46 to No.28 and there's a debut at No.40 from T-Pain.
PHYSICAL SINGLES : Physically, country star Taylor Swift has done the trick with her single 'Love Story' debuting here in the No.1 position. Irish supergroup U2 debuts strongly on the physical charts too - hopping in at No.3 with their new single 'Get On Your Boots'. The All American Rejects are giving the top ten some hell for the first time with their latest single now occupying the No.9 position. Sneaky Sound System notch up a little more chart love on the physical chart with their new single '16'. It debuts at No.21. There's also physical chart action for 'Skryptcha' at No.48.
DIGITAL TRACKS : Here's where Flo Rida really did the damage in the last seven days, moving up an impressive 24 places to claim the No.1 prize - and he outsold Taylor Swift on digital and physical sales combined to hit No.1 overall. Jessica Mauboy drops here too - down from No.9 to No.22, but there are moves up the chart for The Lonely Island, Coldplay, Britney and Kanye.
ALBUMS : EMI Australia will be extending the celebrations with another week on top for British pOp star Lily Allen and her new album 'It's Not Me, It's You'. For the second week, she manages to hold off competition from Kings Of Leon and Pink to maintain her grasp on the top spot. Katy Perry moves up the charts again with her 'One Of The Boys' set (up to No.21), while Jason Mraz also moves up to No.22 with his 'We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things' set. Further down the list, indy outfit The Waifs debut with their live set at No.48.

OFFICIAL ARIA CHARTS

CHER : Believe

It was always going to take something special to take Cher from relative chart obscurity to mainstream global success, but Brian Higgins from the Xenomania team and the Metro remixing team dug up gold with 'Believe'. It made it to No.1 in virtually every country in which it was released, sold more than ten million copies throughout the world and once again made Cher a household name. It was, and remains, Cher's biggest career hit to date. The video for the track appeared slightly belatedly, after footage from previous clips was patched together to create the original 'Believe' clip. But here's the finished product, with Cher (vocoder in tow), in a nightclub, surrounded by those who love her, even with green feathers in her hair. It was also the first of four singles to find themselves in the top five of the US dance/club charts. Great song and great clip, both at the right time.

THE auspOp DIARY

WEEK COMMENCING FEBRUARY 23, 2009

Feb 23 : TIX ON SALE - Sia (Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney)
Feb 23 : TIX ON SALE – Snow Patrol (Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney)
Feb 24 : MELBOURNE - The Veronicas (The Palais)
Feb 25 : ARMIDALE – Grafton Primary (University Of England)
Feb 25 : MELBOURNE – Tim Finn (Northcote Social Club)
Feb 25 : MELBOURNE – The Veronicas (The Palais)
Feb 25 : TIX ON SALE – Ben Harper (Sydney)
Feb 26 : ADELAIDE - The Veronicas (Thebarton Theatre)
Feb 26 : BRISBANE – Tim Finn (The Zoo)
Feb 26 : FREMANTLE – Lior (Fly By Night)
Feb 26 : MELBOURNE – The Big O (Monash Clayton)
Feb 26 : NEWCASTLE – Josh Pyke (Newcastle University)
Feb 26 : SYDNEY – Tame Impala (Oxford Arts Factory)
Feb 26 : WOLLONGONG – The Cat Empire (UNI Hall)
Feb 27 : ADELAIDE – Short Stack (Instore @ The Muses)
Feb 27 : COOLANGATTA - Kate Miller-Heidke (Coolangatta Hotel)
Feb 27 : BRISBANE – Tame Impala (The Zoo)
Feb 27 : MELBOURNE – CSS (Prince Of Wales)
Feb 27 : MOUNT LAWLEY – Lior (Luxe Bar Ampitheatre)
Feb 27 : PERTH – Coldplay (Burswood Dome)
Feb 27 : SYDNEY – The Big O (University Of Sydney)
Feb 27 : SYDNEY – The Cat Empire (Enmore Theatre)
Feb 27 : SYDNEY – McFly (Metro Theatre)
Feb 27 : WOLLONGONG – Josh Pyke (Wollongong University)
Feb 28 : BRISBANE – The Big O (University Of Queensland St.Lucia)
Feb 28 : BYRON BAY - Kate Miller-Heidke (Great Northern Hotel)
Feb 28 : CANBERRA – Josh Pyke (ANU Bar)
Feb 28 : FREMANTLE – Tim Finn (Fly By Night)
Feb 28 : MARGARET RIVER – Lior (Duckstein Brewery)
Feb 28 : MUNDARING - Kate Ceberano (Mundaring Weir Hotel)
Feb 28 : PERTH – Coldplay (Burswood Dome)
Feb 28 : PERTH – Human Nature (Kings Park)
Feb 28 : PERTH – Short Stack (Instore @ Sound One)
Feb 28 : PERTH – Tame Impala (The Bakery)
Feb 28 : PERTH - The Veronicas (Challenge Stadium)
Feb 28 : SYDNEY – The Cat Empire (Enmore Theatre)
Feb 28 : SYDNEY – Future Music Festival (Randwick Racecourse)
Mar 01 : CANBERRA – The Cat Empire (Royal Theatre)
Mar 01 : LAKE KAWANA - Kate Miller-Heidke (Community Centre)
Mar 01 : PERTH – Future Music Festival (Wellington Square)
Mar 01 : PERTH – Human Nature (Kings Park)
Mar 01 : PERTH – The Veronicas (Challenge Stadium)

NEWS WRAP

* MTV Australia will celebrate the best in music when the 2009 MTV Australia Awards are held in Sydney on May 27. With categories including 'Best Video', 'Best Aussie' and 'Best Kiwi', the awards will be hosted by Fall Out Boy guitarist Pete Wentz and will be broadcast live on MTV from 8:30pm, with a red carpet special to precede the awards ceremony. Go to the MTV AWARDS website for more details and full nominees list.
* The team at Frontier Touring and wider Mushroom Group of companies will be at the MCG on Tuesday morning for a major announcement. Two huge concerts are to be unveiled to raise funds for those affected by both the Victorian bushfires and the floods that have devastated Queensland, New South Wales and parts of Western Australia. We assume that given the announcement is being made at the MCG, one of the concerts will be held at the venue.

EVERMORE : Hey Boys And Girls

We've heard a couple of the tracks from Evermore's forthcoming album 'Truth Of The World'. So good and so full were the tracks that we were pOpping with excitement as to what the rest of the album contained. We hear the album is a sonic journey from start to finish, with each track seamlessly connected to each other and we reckon that the new album, due in the stores on March 20, will take the band closer to total world domination. So the clip for the first single proper from their new album is here - and once again, it sees the wall of television sets (a feature of their forthcoming live shows), but this time they're accompanied by a bevy of uniform-clad dancers performing a series of totally clever maneuvers on the floor, in much the same way Feist's dancers did in the '1,2,3,4' clip. Still, it's incredibly effective. 'Hey Boys And Girls' debuted at No.51 on the Australian airplay charts last week, but we reckon you'll be hearing a lot more of the song and indeed the band over the forthcoming ten months and beyond. Very, very exciting pOp.

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE : Caught In The Crowd

We're big fans of this particular song from one Miss Kate Miller-Heidke - but we've not seen the video clip just yet, so we're going to go through it with you right here and now and let you know our thoughts as the clip progresses. We're expecting something a little touching.
It begins with Kate (with nary a hair clock in sight) looking decidedly natural and beautiful, wandering through what appears to be a school with a torch. In the science lab, surrounded by dead creatures, she drops some kind of liquid into a glass container. (Can we just say that at this stage, just after the first chorus, where Kate's sung directly into the camera 'and I'm sorry', we're already loving it). The thing about the clip for what is such an emotional song is that it could so easily have been schmaltzy or over-the-top. As it stands, with Kate using her natural beauty to profess her regrets directly into the camera, the video fits the song beautifully, and allows the singer the chance to issue a touching, heartfelt, long overdue apology.

WES CARR ALBUM OUT MARCH 20

Australian Idol winner Wes Carr will release his debut album with Sony Music on Friday March 20. 'The Way The World Looks' has been on Sony's release schedule for the best part of a month, but without a title - and the same can be said for the second single from it, 'Feels Like Whoa' which is now at iTunes.
The single will do for the word 'Whoa' what Kylie's 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head' did for the word 'La' and will be released physically on March 6.

COLDPLAY TOP WORLD SALES CHART

They may have missed out on a Brit Award earlier this week, but Chris Martin and the boys from Coldplay can at least take some comfort from the fact the band's latest album 'Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends' has been named the highest selling album in the world for 2008.
According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (the IFPI), Coldplay sold a spectacular 6.8 million copies of 'Viva La Vida' in the six months between it's June 2008 release and the end of the calendar year. The second biggest selling album was AC/DC's 'Black Ice', followed at three by the Mamma Mia soundtrack, Duffy's 'Rockferry' and Metallica's 'Death Magnetic'. Rounding out the top ten were No.6 - Leona Lewis 'Spirit', No.7 - Amy Winehouse 'Back To Black', No.8 - High School Musical 3 Soundtrack, No.9 - Lil Wayne 'The Carta III' and No.10 - Rihanna 'Good Girl Gone Bad'.
The IFPI also unveiled the ten biggest selling digital singles of 2008;

01. Lil Wayne - Lollipop
02. Thelma Aoyama - Sobaniirune
03. Flo Rida ftg. T-Pain - Low
04. Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love
05. Timbaland - Apologize
06. Greeeen - Kiseki
07. Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl
08. Alicia Keys - No One
09. Usher ftg. Young Jeezy - Love In This Club
10. Chris Brown - With You

ANDY BULL ALBUM FOR JUNE (OR JULY)

There aren't that many people in the music business that would announce the tentative release date for their album in song, but there aren't that many people in the music business like Andy Bull. He gave us a delicious taster of what to expect with his single 'Smalltown Girl' last year (one of our favourite songs of 2008), but in his (very musical) video diary below, he tells us to expect the album to drop in June or July. He also invites fans to catch him performing live at tomorrow's Tropfest in Sydney. But if this video blog goes to show anything, it's that Andy is one extraordinarily talented man who deserves this big brown (part flooded, part burnt) land to get behind him. He truly is brilliant.

INTRODUCING KATE VIGO

With one album already under her belt and an army of fans in tow, Melbourne's Kate Vigo is beginning to make some noise for herself with her brand new single 'The Way You Are'. Runner up in the 2007 Independent Music Awards, it seems that Kate has been slowly beguiling those in the business with her clever lyrics and catchy-as-hell tunes. Comparisons with Canadian songstress Feist are obvious - Ms Vigo's a fan, but the Aussie singer can shuffle between genres effortlessly - seamlessly shifting between blues and pop.
'The Way You Are' is the first single from Kate's forthcoming second album, due later in the year, and is yet another taster of why this young performer deserves to be known. Also known as the 'Doo Doo' song, it's a beautiful, simple piano-driven pop song, with Kate's smooth vocals sitting perfectly over a layered chorus of 'doo doos'. A video clip for the single has been shot and will be launched next month in her home town, but in the meantime, catch an earful of the single and some of her previous work over on Kate's OFFICIAL MYSPACE PAGE and see why those in the industry are slowly, but ever so surely falling under the spell of one Kate Vigo.

PUSSYCAT DOLLS : Bottle Pop

Looking for a little refresh-ment? Then let the all-purring, all-sexed up, all-conquering Pussycat Dolls quench your thirst with a little 'Bottle Pop'. The weird thing about this clip is that there's nary a bottle in sight 'til the very end - they're all satisfying themselves with cans of fizzy, sugar-packed drinks. We don't know really quite what to make of the clip - it essentially seems to turn into a strip show with more flesh, dancing and sexual titillation than you can poke a (your) stick at.

IN THE SHOPS FRIDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2009;

Natalie Bassingthwaighte – 1000 Stars
Beyonce – Halo (CD single)
Cat Empire – Live At The Bowl (DVD)
Cat Empire – Live On Earth
Cat Empire – Live On Earth (Box Set)
Duffy – Rockferry (2CD edition)
Empire Of The Sun – We Are The People (CD single)
Jamie Foxx – Just Like Me (CD single)
Jewel – Live At Humphrey’s By The Bay (DVD)
The Prodigy – Invaders Must Die
Andre Rieu – Dancing Through The Skies (CD/DVD)
UB40 – Love Songs
Various – Housexy 2009
Various – War Child : Heroes Volume 1

ABBY DOBSON : Horses

As the vocalist of Aussie band Leonardo's Bride, Miss Abby Dobson found considerable success on the Australian music charts, particularly through the band's mammoth hit 'Even When I'm Sleeping'. Abby's most certainly not been idle since then, however, and now has a brand spanking new single out - and it's called 'Horses'. To celebrate the release of it, she's a) decided to tour the country throughout March and April and b) got a lovely new video clip to show us. And it's deliciously colourful. There's some CGI, there are some falling leaves and there's a rather fancy umbrella (ella ay ay). What we love about Abby is there's a beautiful vulnerability in her voice - it exudes emotion - and we're happy to say that with all the colour and movement going on in Bart Borghesi's clip, that emotion is pure, radiating happiness.
Find out more about the shows (and venues) HERE.

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE STANDS UP TO BULLIES

Heads-up : this will go down as one of our favourite singles of 2009 - and it's only February. The second single from Kate Miller-Heidke's 'Curiouser' album is the very moving 'Caught In The Crowd' - the CD single of which hits retail next Friday. The track is a touching, heartfelt, long-overdue apology, written from the perspective of someone who stood idly by while someone was being bullied at school. It's also caught the attention of those who are trying to stamp out the problem in schools - one in six Australian children are bullied at school every single week.
So, in conjunction with Sydney's Daily Telegraph and Myspace, a competition has been launched to shed light on the bullying problem. To enter, entrants need to make a video for 'Caught In The Crowd' with the song as the soundtrack and upload it to this SPECIAL MYSPACE SITE, which will also serve as a forum for kids to talk about bullying and to gain insights from others who've suffered it's effects. The competition will be judged by a panel which will include Kate Miller-Heidke herself and winners will receive Sony hardware to the value of $2000 and an exclusive performance by Kate at their school.
It's an amazing idea that's all come about because of an amazing song. Get behind it!

STARSAILOR : Tell Me It's Not Over

UK outfit Starsailor had their one and only hit in Australia in 2004 with the single 'Four To The Floor'. The success essentially was thanks to one Stuart Price (aka Jacques Lu Cont, aka The Thin White Duke), who remixed and reinvented the single for the dancefloors. Radio too fell in love with the remix. Fast forward five years and one album on, Starsailor returns with the first single from their forthcoming album 'All The Plans'. And as usual it's the anthemic Brit-pOp that we've come to love Starsailor for. In fact, it could almost a song ripped from Coldplay recording sessions, but for the distinctive, almost wiry vocals of frontman James Walsh. There are also some blisteringly good remixes of the track which have once again come at the hands of one Stuart Price. A good return.

BRIT AWARDS 2009 : THE WINNERS

The 2009 Brit Awards, co hosted by one Kylie Minogue, wrapped up at London's Earl's Court only a couple of hours ago, with Welsh songstress Duffy the big winner, picking up three awards, with Kings Of Leon not far behind with two wins. Coldplay was snubbed, as was Take That, but Girls Aloud managed to pick up the gong for Best British Single for 'The Promise'.
Kylie and hosts Mathew Horne and James Corden opened proceedings with an impromptu dance to Kylie's 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head', Girls Aloud performed their winning song 'The Promise' drowning in a sea of pink feathers and Take That arrived in spectacular fashion, performing their last single 'Greatest Day', descending to the stage on a glittering UFO.
The Pet Shop Boys (with Chris sporting a rather becoming pink wig) were honoured with the 'Outstanding Contribution To Music' award, ending the awards ceremony with a medley of their hits, which featured live appearances from both The Killers' Brandon Flowers (on 'It's A Sin') and Lady Gaga (on the former Dusty Springfield collaboration 'What Have I Done To Deserve This'). The winners;

BRITISH FEMALE ARTIST : Duffy
BRITISH MALE ARTIST : Paul Weller
BRITISH GROUP : Elbow
BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT : Duffy
BRITISH LIVE ACT : Iron Maiden
BRITISH ALBUM : Duffy - Rockferry
BRITISH SINGLE : Girls Aloud - The Promise
INTERNATIONAL FEMALE ARTIST : Katy Perry
INTERNATIONAL MALE ARTIST : Kanye West
INTERNATIONAL GROUP : Kings Of Leon
INTERNATIONAL ALBUM : Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night
CRITICS CHOICE AWARD : Florence And The Machine
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC : Pet Shop Boys

THE AUSTRALIAN pOp CD NEW RELEASE SCHEDULE:

February 27
Kate Ceberano – All That Jazz
Evermore - Hey Boys And Girls (CD single)
Chris Isaak – Mr.Lucky
Kings Of Leon – Revelry (CD single)
Kate Miller-Heidke – Caught In The Crowd (CD single)
Kylie Minogue - Boombox
OST – Confessions Of A Shopaholic
The Prodigy – Invaders Must Die
Short Stack – Princess (CD single)
Taylor Swift – Fearless (Australian Edition)
U2 – No Line On The Horizon (Box version)
U2 – No Line On The Horizon (Digipak version)
U2 – No Line On The Horizon (Magazine version)
Various – The Anthems II

March 06
Kelly Clarkson – All I Ever Wanted
Living End – White Noise : Rarities Collector’s Edition
James Morrison & Nelly Furtado – Broken Strings (CD single)
1 Giant Leap – What About Me
Panjo 5 – Stay Closer (CD single)
Pussycat Dolls – Bottle Pop (CD single)
Secondhand Serenade – A Twist In My Story (Deluxe Edition)
Secondhand Serenade – Your Call (CD single)
Starsailor – All The Plans
Starsailor – All The Plans (Limited Edition)
Taylor Swift – Love Story (CD single) CD2
Various – Smoove
Various – Triple J Hottest 100 : Volume 16

March 13
Chicane vs Natasha Bedingfield – I Bruise Easily (CD single)
Chris Cornell – Scream
Shelley Harland – Wonder (CD single)
Jessica Mauboy – Been Waiting (CD single)
OST – Inspector Rex
Britney Spears – If You Seek Amy (CD single)
Various – Guilty Pleasures 2
Various – Vicious Cuts 2009
Stevie Wonder – Live At Last (DVD)

March 20
Björk – Voltaic (Limited Edition)
Decemberists – Hazards Of Love
Evermore – Truth Of The World
OST – Underbelly : A Tale Of Two Cities
Pet Shop Boys – Yes
Radiohead – The Bends : Collector’s Edition
Radiohead – OK Computer : Collector’s Edition
Radiohead – Pablo Honey : Collector’s Edition
Busta Rhymes – Back On My BS
Röyksopp – Junior
Röyksopp – Junior (Limited Edition)
Barbra Streisand – The Concerts (3DVD set)
Various – Now : The Hits Of Autumn 2009
Various – Skitzmix 31

March 27
Bow Wow – New Jack City : Part II
Doves – Kingdom Of Rust (CD single)
PJ Harvey – A Woman A Man Walked By
Diana Krall – Quiet Nights
Annie Lennox – The Collection
Lost Valentinos – Serio (CD single)
Pete Murray – Chance To Say Goodbye (CD single)
OST – The Boat That Rocked
Keith Urban – Defying Gravity
Various – A World Of Pop (DVD)
Various – So Fresh : The Hits Of Autumn 2009
Various – Video Hits : 1 Hit Wonders (3CD set)

April 03
3OH!3 - Want
Ciara – Fantasy Ride
Doves – Kingdom Of Rust
Doves – Kingdom Of Rust (Special Edition)
Bob Evans – Goodnight Bull Creek
Flo Rida – R.O.O.T.S.
Ricky Martin - 17
Jazmine Sullivan – Fearless

April 10
Various – Housework Songs III

April 17
Depeche Mode – Sounds Of The Universe

May 08
Little Birdy - Confetti
Various – Floorfillers : Party Anthems 2009

June 05
Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.

NB - all release dates subject to change & list is updated weekly