Livin la Vida Loca? Nobody Wants to Be Lonely?

Remember these hits? They just might have been your favorite songs once upon a time. Remember who sang them? Well, you might just be singing his songs again.

Yes ladies, it’s true. Ricky Martin is officially making his comeback and it starts today with the release of his new album, MAS (Musica Alma Sexo), which he calls his “creative catharsis.” Martin has had one crazy year since he came out of the closet last March. Since then, his whole life has been changing, and for him this album is the culmination of all of that. It’s an album, he explains, not just for the audience but also for the musicians as well.

Martin released the first single for his new album, “The Best Thing About Me is You,” earlier in January, but the full album (deluxe edition available only at Target) is being released today. I don’t know how I feel about his new music just yet, but I’m woman enough to admit that once upon a time, way back in my pre-college, pre-high school days, I loved me some bon bon shaking Ricky Martin. And I know you did too. So come on, before trying out his new hits lets relive some of Ricky’s glory days. For old time’s sake?

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Got something awesome everyone needs to know about? A really great local band? An awesome website? A product that truly changed your life? CHOCOLATE? Email your “The Know” ideas to Jill@collegecandy.com and I’ll pass them along to everyone right here, every week. Make your kindergarten teacher proud and share!

By now everyone with a radio knows about Jason Derulo. Not only do those DJs play his songs more often than Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.” (Read: Every. Other. Minute.), but homeboy really loves to sing his own name. Like, a lot.

But this is one artist whose songs I actually want to hear every ten minutes. And “Whatcha Say” and “In My Head” are just the start. Derulo’s self-titled album, which came out last week, is a Must-Know-About. It is so good I can’t even express how good it is in words. I listened to the album THREE times in a row on a recent flight to Los Angeles (helloooooo SPRING BREAK) and I’m pretty sure the woman sitting next to me was not enjoying my 5-hour dance sesh in my window seat. Read More »

Do you ever listen to music that’s completely ridiculous? (Editor’s Note: Does Miley count?) To the point that you start feeling ridiculous and maybe even hide the fact that you listen to other people? (Editor’s Note: Miley definitely counts.) Or just sorta wonder what’s going on in the artist’s head?

OK, so clearly I can’t hide what I’ve been listening to this week – and I’ve already admitted previously to liking Demi Lovato – but that doesn’t mean this week’s new releases didn’t have me scratching my head a bit. And while that’s actually kind of what I’ve come to expect from Weezer and Say Anything, I was a little thrown by my homegirl, Carrie Underwood. Don’t get me wrong, she makes some amusing music, but have you ever stopped to listen to the lyrics?

Why does Carrie Underwood hang out with so many crappy men? Girlfriend needs some help! Read More »

I feel like I’m having a major flashback this week. Like Wayne and Garth are running by me in my bedroom waving their hands in the air screaming “Do do do do. Do do do do.” And then everything gets all jumbled and I’m ten years younger and wearing something completely ridiculous.

Only they didn’t and I’m not. Instead, two of my all-time favorite musicians from about 10 years ago are back with some new stuff and I’m obviously over-joyed. I mean, when was the last time you heard about Vertical Horizon or David Gray? It’s been a long time; thankfully I wasn’t holding my breath. Now we just need to see if ten years was enough. I know I changed for the better in that time – what about them? Read More »

None of the artists with new releases are new to me this week. I’ve loved them all in the past and now I’m coming back for more. Actually, they’re coming back to give me more and I’m taking it all with wide open arms. And I’m pretty psyched to hear some new stuff from some of my old favorites. It makes me feel at home and right where I belong. I’m so happy to have my old friends back again! Read More »

Call me crazy, but I truly believe you can put a season label on most albums. I mean, think about it – certain songs are best for snuggling under lots of blankets during a snowstorm. And some songs are just perfect for sitting in the sun or cruising with the top down (if you happen to be so lucky to own a car in which the top can come down).

Since Memorial Day has passed and we can officially wear white, it’s time we really start listening to summer music. Here are my top choices for music that is especially summery. Which means these albums put me in a fabulous mood… even when I’m lying in my bed rubbing aloe on my ailing limbs. Read More »

We haven’t heard much from Chris Brown since “the incident” before the Grammy’s, but if this new home video is anything, it’s his (shady) attempt to get back into our hearts and minds. Because he’s got a new album dropping. And a new single coming out this summer! And because he likes to bowl and is not a “monster.”

Fail.

Maybe it’s too little too late for me, or maybe it’s years of shunning the guys who ditched my girlfriends working against him, but I’m so not down with Chris Brown. (I am, however, totally down with rhyming.)  I also will not be down with buying his album, downloading his single, or requesting his songs on the radio. Mostly because I haven’t done that since I was in middle school and just had to hear the Titanic song.  Will I be able to avoid him completely?  No, of course not.  Just like you can’t avoid seeing that douchebag that screwed over your bestie freshman year strutting around campus.

Is Rihanna my bestie? No, most definitely not (but that would be pretty sweet, you gotta admit), but she’s a woman and I’m a woman, so there’s a connection there.  Considering what happened, I’d say that I’m gonna take her side even though I’ve never met her (and probably never will).

Nevertheless, this is a tricky topic.  Should we forgive Chris Brown and keep enjoying his music (despite that really lame video), or should his actions have an effect on his life and career foreeeeverrrr (sorry, couldn’t resist)?

What do you think?

This week was all about utilizing what I learned in Girl Scouts all those years ago. No, not building a fire or navigating my way out of a forest, but that whole “make new friends but keep the old” adage. And by “friends” I mean, “musicians who I consider to be my friends because I spend so much time with them and turn to them when I need to cry, sing really loud, or dance around in my undies.”

There were some great new releases this week from some of my favorite musical talents ever, in addition to some from bands I never knew. And while I may have fallen for some of the new stuff, I’ll always hold onto the old faves. Read More »

And this week I learn how easy it is to write about music I’m crazy obsessed with. I was so beyond-words excited about the new releases this week that I basically wanted to tell you about every song, transcribe all the lyrics, and somehow hum the tunes onto the computer screen so that you’d get the full effect. But I tried to restrain myself a little bit.

And It wasn’t easy.

I really wanted to personally ship every one of you each of these albums because I’m pretty sure you can’t live without them. But unfortunately, I’m not rich enough for that. So maybe you could just take my word for it and have a listen yourself? I’m not saying they’ll change your life, but….well, they might change your life. Read More »

I’m especially excited about this week’s new music releases because it’s January and I’m cold. And all three of this week’s albums are the kind that make you want to crawl under the covers with a mug of hot chocolate and stay for the weekend. When you emerge on Monday morning after listening, you’ll be ready to face a few more months of winter weather. Read More »