:: arjanwrites music blog ::

My Top 5 Music Moments of 2005

1. Live8 Live: Music Makes The People Come Together

Top performances by Madonna, Coldplay, Robbie Williams and the Killers. If you missed it, you can purchase the DVD of all the performances around the world. See some of the highlights here and here.

2. Melissa Etheridge Comeback Performance

After her struggle with breast cancer, rocker Melissa Etheridge gloriously returned to the stage during the 2005 Grammy Awards to perform a Janis Joplin tribute. If you missed it, watch it here.

3. Eurythmics Comeback Performance

The Eurythmics showed a younger generation of artists how it is done at this year's American Music Awards. If you missed the performance, you can see it here.

4. Kayne West Get Political and Reaches Out to Gays.

Kanye West not only made headlines because of his top-selling second album. He also criticized the Bush administration in a live telecast that was held to raise money for Hurricane Katrina Victims (watch it again here). A weeks earlier, he was in the news when he denounced homophobia in hip hop. If you missed his MTV interview about gays, you can watch it here.

5. Antony & The Johnson Win British Mercury Award

Antony's controversial win of the coveted British Mercury Music Award showed that it is okay to be your own person and make unique artistic choices, and still receive such a high-profile "vote of confidence." Antony told me later that much of the controversy about his win was made up in the media.

Rewind: David Guetta "Love Don't Let Me Go"

David Guetta's "Love Don't Let Me Go" was first released in Europe in 2003. I really enjoyed the song and the video when I saw it played on music television in Europe a few weeks ago. Guetta is one of France's most popular DJ/producers and a leading force in the hip French house movement. The song is included on his 2004's album "Blaster" that also features Ibiza's big summer anthem "Just A Little More Love."

Directed by Olivier Boscovitch and Vincent Renaud, the video for "Love Don't Let Me Go" (with Chris Willis on vocals) is pure out-of-this-world coolness that even brings solar dust to life. On  a related note, if you're visiting Paris, make sure to check out Guetta's Les Bains Douches nightclub, a converted Turkish bath house designed by Philippe Starck. Oh la la. [source]

Watch David Guetta "Love Don't Let Me Go"

Shameless Plug

Arjan Writes has been nominated for a Gawker/Gridskipper World's Best Blog Award in their music blog category. I would love to have YOUR vote. Click here to vote (Scroll down the page a little). Thanks for your support! Voting ends on Monday.

Brokeback Mountain CD Contest

It's the season to be jolly! Arjan Writes is giving away a few copies of the gorgeous "Brokeback Mountain" soundtrack together with Verve Records. Click HERE to register and have a chance to win.

Don't forget that there are two other Arjan Writes contests running as well. Click HERE to have a chance to win a JBL iPod loudspeaker dock, and click HERE to win a pair of those sexy Play iBoxers.

Stream New Pet Shop Boys Song

Three years after they put out their last artist album, Pet Shop Boys are planning to release their new CD "Fundamental" in April. Check out a snippet from "Psychological," a brand-new song that will be included on the record. For now, the song is only available on white label vinyl in a limited release to prep the club crowd for the duo's new sound. The group has also revealed the tracklisting for "Fundamental." Song titles include "The Sodom and Gomorrah Show," "Luna Park," "I Made My Excuses & Left" and "Minimal." In related PSB news, Neil Tennant and Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears performed Gloria Gaynor's "I Am What I Am" at Elton John & David Furnish' "stag" night party in London on Monday. [source, source]

Stream Pet Shop Boys "Psychological"

Update: Popjustice editor Peter emailed me that "Psychological" will not be a single as I reported earlier in this post.