iTunes Plus: Lana Del Rey - Paradise

Paradise is the third extended play (EP) by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey, following Kill Kill (2008) and Lana Del Rey (2011). Slated to be released on November 12, 2012, through Universal Music, it was produced by Rick Nowels, Justin Parker, and Rick Rubin. The nine tracks will be available in digital download format, audio CD, and vinyl, as a standalone EP and as part of a two-disc box set for a reissuing of Del Rey's sophomoric album Born to Die.

Artist Of The Month: Lana Del Rey, Rihanna & Ke$ha

November/ December is like Christmas of the music month. So we decided to have three different Artist Of The Month in this four week period before we start our Flares Of 2012 yearly chart.

Paradise is the third extended play (EP) by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey, following Kill Kill (2008) and Lana Del Rey (2011). Slated to be released on November 12, 2012, through Universal Music, it was produced by Rick Nowels, Justin Parker, and Rick Rubin. The nine tracks will be available in digital download format, audio CD, and vinyl, as a standalone EP and as part of a two-disc box set for a reissuing of Del Rey's sophomoric album Born to Die.The EP's lead single is "Ride", a downtempo pop ballad produced by Rick Rubin and co-written by "Video Games" author Justin Parker. The video for "Ride" premiered at a promotional event in Santa Monica on October 10, airing online two days later. Critics condemned the video for containing Antifeminism themes and prostitution advocacy. Watch: "Ride"

Unapologetic is the upcoming seventh studio album by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna. It is currently scheduled to be released on November 16, 2012 by Def Jam Recordings. The album's lead single "Diamonds" made its premiere on iHeartRadio on September 26. On July 13, 2012, Sean Garrett confirmed that he had been in the studio with French DJ David Guetta working on Rihanna's album saying "I was in the studio with David doing some stuff for Rihanna recently. He finds inspiration in the things I don't like, and I get excited by the things he doesn't like. He wants to be more urban and I want to be more international, so we push each other, I try to help Rihanna. She works hard and it's cool to write for someone who is so open-minded." On August 21st, American songwriter Claude Kelly revealed that he had been writing songs for Rihanna whilst she was performing in London. Kelly spoke on the songs that he had wrote for Rihanna saying; "Rihanna's a worldwide superstar at this point and she's performing in stadiums and arenas now, so I wanted songs that reflected her audience, when I was in London she was performing at a festival in front of like 30,000 to 40,000 people. So I didn't want small songs that only worked on radio, so I tried to do anthemic big stadium-themed songs." Listen: "Diamonds"

Warrior is the upcoming second studio album by American recording artist Kesha. It is scheduled to be released on November 30, 2012 by RCA Records as the follow-up to her commercially successful 2010 album Animal and EP Cannibal.[1] Writing of the album began in 2011 while the singer was on tour and continued into 2012, whilst she began recording the album in the first quarter of 2012. Inspiration for the songwriting came after the closing of Kesha's worldwide spiritual journey. Thematically, the recording artist intends for the album to be raw, vulnerable, and more personal that her previous albums, Animal and Cannibal. Overall, she said the theme of the record is "magic". Produced in the genres of dance-pop, electropop, and electronic rock, the album features songwriting from fun. and The Flaming Lips. Iggy Pop provides guest vocals for "Dirty Love", which was produced primarily by Dr. Luke. The album's lead single, "Die Young", was released in the United States on September 25 2012. Listen: "Die Young"

Video Premiere: Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness

Video Premiere: Lana Del Rey - National Anthem

Sneak Peek: Lana Del Rey - National Anthem

Cover: Lana Del Rey - National Anthem

Video Premiere: Lana Del Rey - Carmen

Video Premiere: Lana Del Rey - Blue Jeans

Cover: Lana Del Rey - Blue Jeans

The official first US single, Blue Jeans. The video will be release April 2.

Behind The Scenes: Lana Del Rey - Born To Die

Flares: Lana Del Ray - Born To Die

Lana Del Rey is a femme fatale with a smoky voice, a languorous image, and a modeling contract. Not coincidentally, she didn't lack for attention leading up to the release of her Interscope debut, Born to Die. The hype began in mid-2011 with a stunning song and video for "Video Games," and it kept on rising, right up to her January 2012 performance on Saturday Night Live (making her the first artist since Natalie Imbruglia in 1998 to perform on SNL without an album available). Although it's easy to see the reasons why Del Rey got her contract, it's also easy to hear: her songwriting skills and her bewitching voice. "Video Games" is a beautiful song, calling to mind Fiona Apple and Anna Calvi as she recounts another variation on the age-old trope of female-as-sex-object. Her vacant, tired reading of the song rescues it from any hint of exploitation, making it a winner. Unfortunately, the only problem with Born to Die is a big one. There is a chasm that separates "Video Games" from the other material and performances on the album, which aims for exactly the same target -- sultry, sexy, wasted -- but with none of the same lyrical grace, emotional power, or sympathetic productions. Del Rey doesn't mind taking chances, varying her vocalizing and delivery, toying with her lines and reaching for cinematic flourishes ("he loves me with every beat of his cocaine heart," "Pabst Blue Ribbon on ice"), and even attempting to rap. But she's unable to consistently sell herself as a heartbreaker, and most of the songs here sound like cobbled retreads of "Video Games." An intriguing start, but Del Rey is going to have to hit the books if she wants to stay as successful as her career promised early on.

Based on Critics - 29/50

Based on Public - 45/50

Based On Hype - 38/50

Based on Pop Flares - 45/50

Overall:

Album Exclusive Leak: Lana Del Rey - Born To Die

Born to Die is the upcoming second studio album and major label debut by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey. The album is set for release on January 27, 2012 through Stranger Records. After signing a record contract with Stranger in June 2011, the singer released her debut single, "Video Games", which is considered as the one that propelled the singer's online popularity. Del Rey then started to give interviews to several newspapers and online magazines, as well as making live appearances to promote her work.

DOWNLOAD

Track Listing: Lana Del Ray - Born To Die

STANDARD VERSION:

1. Born To Die 2. Off To The Races 3. Blue Jeans (Remastered) 4. Video Games (Remastered) 5. Diet Mountain Dew 6. National Anthem 7. Dark Paradise 8. Radio 9. Carmen 10. Million Dollar Man 11. Summertime Sadness 12. This Is What Makes Us Girls

DELUXE VERSION includes:

13. Without You 14. Lolita 15. Lucky Ones 16. Born to Die (video) 17. Video Games (Video)

On stores: January 30, 2012 worldwide.

Flares of 2011: WATCH OUT 2012!!!!!!

Out of the nominees, Lana Del Rey is the most promising artist that soon will make 2012 her year. June 2011, Del Rey was signed with Stranger Records. To release her debut single "Video Games", in October 2011, she was signed with Interscope Records. While being interviewed by Rosie Swash of The Observer, Del Rey revealed, "I just put that song online a few months ago because it was my favourite. To be honest, it wasn't going to be the single but people have really responded to it. I get very sad when I play that song. I still cry sometimes when I sing it." Del Rey's song "Video Games" was featured for the first time on prime spot on The CW's TV-Series Ringer on September 28, 2011 propulsing Lana Del Rey into mainstream. Del Rey also promoted the album with performances in a number of live appearances, including for MTV Push, and at the Bowery Ballroom, where, according to Eliot Glazer of New York, "the polarizing indie hipstress brought her 'gangsta Nancy Sinatra' swagu." Matthew Perpetua of Rolling Stone commented that, despite Del Rey being nervous and anxious while performing her songs live, the singer "sang with considerable confidence, though her transitions from husky, come-hither sexuality to bratty, girlish petulance could be rather jarring." Del Rey also performed "Video Games" on Dutch television program De Wereld Draait Door, on British music television show Later... with Jools Holland, and on an intimate show at Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood, California while creating her own music videos for several tracks such as "Blue Jeans" and "Off to the Races".

It was later reported that the singer would release her debut album under the labels in January 2012. During an interview with French TV show Taratata, Del Rey revealed that the album would be named Born to Die that is set to be released on January 27, 2012 in Ireland, January 30, 2012, in the UK, and on January 31, 2012 worldwide. The second single and title track "Born to Die" is set for release on January 22, 2012. The music video for it leaked on December 14, 2011, and was based on a concept created by the singer, while being directed by Yoann Lemoine. The music video received generally favorable reviews from contemporary critics.

And of course happy NEW YEAR!!!!!

Video Premiere: Lana Del Rey - Born To Die