iTunes, Why Must You Betray Me (and my bank account)?

(photo courtesy of: http://www.uwosh.edu)

It is no secret how much I heart iTunes. Love iTunes. It's user-friendly interface. How it magically syncs all of my music to my iPhone. It's a great program. What I don't like, however, is this article. While some songs will be lower in price at .69 cents (woohoo), most will be higher at ($1.29). iTunes can hardly make me pay a buck for their songs right now, so I'm not sure how this will heighten their sales from anyone - especially me - when there's so many other options on the internet to find free music. Afterall, in this economy, free is the magic word for all of us that we just can't say no to.

-M

Spring Break Shuffle 2009 - Pop Culture Paradox Style

(photo courtesy of ilounge.com)

So, point your finger all you want. I know I graduated from college in 2008. But a year ago, as my final Spring Break came and went with my boyfriend in Florida, I made a pact to forever celebrate Spring Break - the happiest time of year. The idea occurred to me while waiting at an outdoor bar while an older couple stood next to us. They proclaimed that they too, were on Spring Break. What an ingenius thought. Leaving the city during the summer is so overrated anyway! It's nice in the city when it's warm. There are rooftop pools, events (and fried dough vendors!) in the Common, sailing on the Charles River, beautiful days to walk down Newbury Street. No, it's definitely true. This - the cold, still snowy, bitterly windy city days - that is the best time to get the hell out of downtown Boston and to a sunnier climate. That being said, I will be heading down south for all of next week to tan, beach, boat - and enjoy a Patron margarita or two (or twenty -- c'mon, I'm a college graduate but I'm not ancient and boring yet).


So iTunes basically read my mind last night, while I bummed around watching Dancing With The Stars (sidenote: Team Melissa! She did great!). Planning to create my own playlist of the iTunes Top 25, I see in the iTunes Music Store a gift from above - the Spring Break Shuffle 2009 playlist. While I could write their list here, I won't. You all can go on ahead and read it yourself. But enjoy the official Pop Culture Paradox Spring Break Shuffle 2009 (in no particular order).



Asher Roth - I Love College
Lady GaGa - Just Dance
Britney Spears - If You Seek Amy
T.I. - Dead & Gone
Flo-Rida - Right Round
Eminem - Crack A Bottle
Soulja Boy - Kiss Me Thru The Phone
Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
3OH!3 - Don't Trust Me
Kevin Rudolf - Let It Rock
The Lonely Island - I'm On A Boat
Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
Kat DeLuna - Unstoppable

As always, download legally (please!). Love iTunes and love your music.

-M

File >> New Playlist

(photo courtesy of: http://iphonenews.desinformado.com)

But first, a sidenote. As we know, P and I differ on the topic of this week's Gossip Girl episode. Apparently the Daily Intel sides with P on this one (at least I have the siding of my friends A and L and my own desire to see the shadowy image of the scandalous teacher ripping Dan Humphrey's belt over and over and over and over again). That being said, I must put the plug in for my dearest and nearest show and state my confidence against any sign of O.C.-age. I mean, afterall, Josh Schwartz (the producer of both) learned his lesson the first time around. Yes? Plus, we know Blair Waldorf could take Marissa Cooper (and Summer Roberts) out in one mean spirited bitch slap anyday.

Now, onto your dose of new music advice - remember kids. Download legally (iTunes is your friend!), or illegally (and just don't say that I influenced you in any way).

Lily Allen - Everyone's At It (and everything else on her new album It's Not Me, It's You)
Kelly Clarkson - My Life Would Suck Without You (extended version)
Nylon Pink - Hello Drama
Jurassic 5 (feat. Nelly Furtado) - Thin Line
Kat DeLuna (feat. Lil Wayne) - Unstoppable
3OH!3 - Don't Trust Me
The Veronicas - Untouched
PCD - Top of The World

Download. Enjoy. Listen. Love.
-M

Don't worry, P and I are still alive.

I know everyone, it's been a bit of a crazy week around Pop Culture Paradox. Our jobs and personal lives are stressed to the max trying to cram everything necessary in before the holiday break (Yay, I get three whole days off. Hallelujah.). I figured it was necessary to awake from the dead (and depths of reports that I have in front of me) and remind everyone that we're here, don't you worry.

A big thank you goes out to a friend of one of my nearest and dearest, L. I dont' know who you are, but I LOVED getting an im that says: ****** (11:52:52 PM): i just caught up on about a month's worth of pop culture paradox. tell her to keep on truckin' and if I checked regularly would LOVE for her to post more! haha. i'm obsessed

Really, whoever you are, thank you! It makes me feel that much happier about this little baby of a blog that P and I maintain. Keep being obsessed. Obsession can be a good thing, and we love it.

A holiday gift to you (Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa... Happy Solstice?) for this afternoon. I know you all love them so (and you're just lazy for not poking around the great music blogs on blogger).

File > Create New Playlist

Katy Perry - Hot & Cold (Rock Mix)

Metro Station - Seventeen Forever

Britney Spears - Unusual You

Lil Wayne - Comfortable

Fall Out Boy - America's Suitehearts

Death Cab For Cutie - The Ice Is Getting Thinner

The Academy Is... - About A Girl

The Cab - Bounce

Download (legally! please! love iTunes and love us!). Listen. Love.

-M

File >> New Playlist

Yes. This afternoon I realized that there is, indeed, a life beyond Brit's new album. Lo and behold, there's a treasure chest of new music on my iPhone for my listening consumption. Check out my current picks, download (legally or however you wish. It's all your prerogative.), and enjoy -- just don't let your headphones continuously fall out of your ears, much like how mine did my entire commute home today.

Britney (no last name needed) - Kill The Lights, Amnesia, Quicksand, Circus
Fall Out Boy - I Don't Care
Hilary Duff - Holiday
John Mayer & Ben Harper - Waiting On The World To Change (2008 Election Edition)
Kanye West - Heartless
The Dream - Let Me See The Booty
P!nk - Sober
Chris Cornell - Scream
DJ Khaled - Out Here Grindin'

-M

Select 'Download' and 'Save to Desktop'

As I sit, and do some new music research (and anxiously wait for the extended cut of the Sex and the City movie to download, along with the first few season 2 episodes of Gossip Girl from iTunes), I stumbled across the bit of info that Imani Coppola (who I recently compared Lady GaGa to), is Little Jackie (who I'm obsessed with, for good reason). I feel as though this name crossover is messing with my mind, and I can't fully wrap myself around it. Why change your stage name from something as cool (and unforgettable!) and Imani Coppola? Regardless, do yourselves all a favor, and download Little Jackie's debut (kind of?) album, The Stoop (I would supply a link, but I think you all should hone in on your music investigative skills yourself. Or don't be a cheapo like me and but it from iTunes - the title track is a free download this week!). Quirky and fun, the album makes me think of summertime style music - complete with sun, 80 degree weather, and bikinis -- even while I'm trapped inside my apartment with it pouring rain outside.

What else am I listening to as of late? So happy you asked.
Listen & love my latest playlist to usher in the fall of 2008.

Britney Spears - Womanizer (the more you listen to it, the more you love it)
Chris Cornell - Scream
Shontelle - T-Shirt
Pussycat Dolls-Happily Never After
Death Cab For Cutie - The Ice Is Getting Thinner

Enjoy. Listen. Download. Love.
-M

Create playlist

Sometimes you just need a bangin' playlist to get you in the mood!

Santogold - Shove it (Switch Remix) (Thank you GG)

Teyana Taylor - Google me baby (sigh...another GG contribution)

LCD Soundsystem - New York, I love you but you're bringing me down (ok, who sees the pattern?)

Kanye West - Love Lockdown

Pitbull ft. Lil Jon - Krazy

Nas ft. Damien Marley - Road to Zion

Fat Joe ft. Lil Wayne, The Game - Ain't saying nothing (Remix) (Thanks V!)

Rakim y Ken - Down (Old but so gooood)

Mocean Worker - Tres tres chic (best.song.ever.)

Fredde Le Grand - Put your hands up

Ida Corr - Let me think about it (Fredde Le Grand Remix)

Kevin Rudolf ft. Lil Wayne - Let it rock (SO GOOD!)

Jay Z ft. Kanye West, Lil Wayne, T.I - Swagga (OMFG! Jay + Weezy + M.I.A sample = amazing)

- P