“Without You” sounds great like this. Wish there were more stripped down versions like this on the record.

I saw this a few weeks ago at Disneyland. I assumed of course that they had the rights to use it. Also this

Is it any wonder why she might have been nervous for this or any other recent performance, reading these comments and what is said about her on Twitter, etc.? If you think artists don’t look at that stuff, you’re crazy. Haven’t seen a non top 40 artist this overly criticized or scrutinized in my life. Especially for every reason other than the songs themselves.

http://twitter.com/#!/DONDAWorldwide is killing it right now.

First off, it’s possible for people to like music before and/or regardless of whether or not a tastemaker site gave it a good review. Second, I would never dream of making a year end list if I didn’t feel that I’d listened to a good chunk of music and determined what was the best. For the most part, the same 20 or so artists are reappearing on these lists for being good, not for being all there is. In a site’s quest to have a list of artists that no one else has on theirs, they can sometimes leave off some of the best stuff. What purpose does that really serve?

No one told me Ryan Gosling was eligible!

I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to single you out. It’s just a general comment on the reaction to the hip hop content on here of late.

This is a big contradiction most fans of art are guilty of (me included). You love something and want to share it with people, but it starts to bother you when *too many* people know about it. Regardless of how someone discovers a band like Real Estate, people are there supporting a good band. Is it more immature to first be interested in something after a popular website gives it a rave review, or hate the people that discovered it that way?

They might be technically counting Drake as a “rap” album but no ASAP Rocky is a huge fail.

Beautifully written, recorded, arranged, and performed. Yawn city.

At #16?

Indie’s hunkiest hunk