Its seems like just yesterday I made it to 50,000 songs in my DJ music library, now I have achieved 55,000 songs in my DJ Music Library! Amazing! I have been thinking about when I made the switch to go completely digital. At the time, I was worried I would never be able to create as large a DJ music library. Funny to reflect on that now.
The primary source of music for me these days is Promo Only for DJs. I moved to their services recently and appreciate the diversity of music that I receive daily.
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Promo Only for DJs supports the growth of a DJ Music library by providing products across many genre. This will give you and idea of what their products look like. Lots of great music! If you are interested in learning more about Promo Only for DJs.
I just downloaded a bunch of tracks while writing this post. Can’t wait to see what goodies arrived today!
My iTunes music library has reached 50,000 songs! The total DJ Music Library is over 350GB and nearly eight months of music if left playing continuously. It is hard for me to fathom having that much music at your fingertips when needed.
I have started creating playlists by genre for events to make things easier like Salsa, Reggae, Bachata, Merengue, Soca, Calypso, Reggaeton, Classic Rock, Disco, Doo Wop, Soul, 80’s Pop, 90’s Slow R&B Jams, Lounge, Rat Pack, Classical, Jazz, Classic Country, Chill, House, Deep House, Afro-Beats, Buddha Bar, Cafe Del Mar, Alternative, New Wave, Flamenco, Oldies, Swing, Tango. Minimalist, Hip Hop, Rap, Folk, Ambient, New Age, World, Indie, Arabic, Hotel Costes, Jazz Vocals, New Age and plenty of Pop and Top 40, as well as music from around the world.
Hard to believe a DJ Music Library can reach 50,000. And I am just getting started!
If I do not have the music you wish for your wedding or party, we can work together to meet your needs. I stay current and add music regularly.
I am remembering the days when I would bring six crates of vinyl with me to a gig and maybe be able to meet 25% of requests. Today, I meet 98% of requests from my DJ Music library and download any others I do not have live at the event!
A significant part of my DJ Music Library comes directly from Primecuts Music for professional DJs.
My DJ Music Library is legal and I support local artists when applicable.
What kind of music are you dancing or listening to today?
Such amazing images of various weddings, parties and events we have the honor of performing at! We special in multicultural weddings, parties and events. Book yours now!
The following New York Times DJ spotlight is brilliant. I know it is primarily focused on club DJs but don’t let that fool you. It is a well-written piece that expresses the role and qualities of a good DJ as I have rarely seen previously.
I have been a DJ on and off since 1980. Yes you read that correctly 1980! I have done radio, clubs, fashion shows, trivia, award festivals, weddings, sweet sixteens, birthdays, anniversaries, pig roasts, fundraisers, dance-a-thons, dance camps, corporate events, conscious dance, ecstatic dance, house parties, Communions, graduations, reunions, etc.. Each event requires something different from the DJ. The ability to read the room, sense what is needed and intuitively respond without losing grasp of what you were hired to do can sometimes be tricky and demands creativity, flexibility and experience. A skilled DJ must balance being in the spotlight and the humility to never forget it is not about us, it is always about you and your guests.
“A real D.J. is part shaman, part tech-wizard, part crowd psychologist, all artist. Many people claim the title but far fewer embody it.”
This article on Pharrell Williams Songs is originally written and posted on Billboard. Pharrell Williams songs reach accros genre and style. He is a true writer and musician.
Skateboard P is embedded throughout the music industry and has been for years. There’s a reason N.E.R.D. stands for Nobody Ever Really Dies.
Below are 10 songs you might not have known Pharrell has his fingerprints on — either in the writing credits on beat production.
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N.E.R.D. Debuts New Album With Grand Show at ComplexCon Night One
Gwen Stefani – “Hollaback Girl” (2005)
Gwen Stefani began her solo career away from No Doubt behind “Hollaback Girl” in 2005, which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Pharrell would become a staying power in Stefani’s solo career, also assisting her with “Can I Have It Like That” (2006) and “Spark The Fire” (2014).
Nelly – “Hot in Herre” (2002)
“Hot in Herre” peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained at the top for seven weeks in a row. In June, Nelly told The Faderthat he had actually turned Nellyville in prior to putting “Hot in Herre” on the record.
“I knew that we are missing something,” the St. Louis rapper said. “We missing something. We don’t have the fuse to the bomb. We called up Pharrell. Pharrell was a good friend of ours, and then he came with the Chuck Brown [beat]. … Pharrell said something about, ‘You gotta have the girls add some ‘Getting so hot.'”
Frank Ocean – “Sweet Life” (2012)
“Frank Ocean is incredible,” Pharrell told VIBE. “We worked together, too. Frank Ocean, to me, is a singer-songwriter. His album itself is incredible. We met at Coachella. I told him, ‘Man, I like what you do. Let’s do something.’ And then we ended up working. He’s super talented. He is, to me, he’s like the black James Taylor.”
“Sweet Life” is track No. 5 on Ocean’s debut album channel ORANGE, which was released in 2012. On Ocean’s most recent album, Blond, Pharrell co-wrote/produced “Pink + White,” which peaked at No. 84 on the Hot 100.
READ MORE
ComplexCon Top 5 Highlights: Pharrell Debuts New Jumpsuit and More From Day 1
Britney Spears – “I’m A Slave 4 U” (2001)
Originally, The Neptunes made “I’m A Slave 4 U” for Janet Jackson. But as things played out, the song ended up being responsible for Spears officially leaving teeny pop behind. “Slave 4 U” peaked at No. 27 on the Hot 100.
Ed Sheeran – “Sing” (2014)
Although Pharrell was featured in Sheeran’s “Sing” music video, but given the singer-songwriter’s extensive catalog since 2014, one could hardly be blamed for forgetting this collab took place. “Sing” was the lead single off of Sheeran’s x (Multiply) album and peaked at No. 13 on the Hot 100. Sheeran detailed what it was like working with Pharrell in an interview with Music Newsin June 2014.
“Originally [Pharrell] tweeted ‘This Angels To Fly song is great’ a while ago and then at the Grammys, I don’t think he knew what I looked like, so I just went up to him and said, ‘I’m a massive fan, I just wanted to say that’s my tune!’ And then we swapped numbers. ‘Sing’ was from my first session with him, and when you work with Pharrell, he tends to push you: he wants you to do the best thing possible. So you don’t necessarily go for the first thing he plays you. It must have been on the seventeenth thing that he played me, and I had just dismissed everything. I just didn’t really get it. I don’t really get jazz chords and Pharrell’s very jazzy!”
Kendrick Lamar – “Alright” (2015)
Pharrell had already headed up production for Kendrick’s 2012 debut EP good kid, m.A.A.d city before co-writing and providing back-up vocals for “Alright” in 2015. Of the collaboration, Pharrell told MTV News, “I wanted to do something that felt like it was in that vein but just a little bit more colorful and add rhodes and instruments that are not usually used in that style of music, and just try to bring something a little bit more mystical. I kind of had my Tribe Called Quest hat on that day. I’m a huge Q-Tip fan.”
At this time, according to Complex‘s calculations, The Neptunes were attached in some capacity to 43 percent of the songs playing on U.S. radio. One of those songs was “Señorita” on Justin Timberlake‘s debut solo album Justified, which was nominated for four Grammys.
Timberlake has become a frequent Pharrell collaborator, with major speculation that Pharrell is heavily involved in JT’s next album.
Another 2003 hit Pharrell was in the thick of, “Milkshake” is by far the most popular song associated with Kelis to this day. “Milkshake” peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100.
In 2015, Kelis told The U.K.’s Independent, “I’ve known Pharrell since he was 15, and he wasn’t ‘Pharrell’ at the time, he was just Pharrell.”
JAY-Z – “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)” (2000)
One of JAY-Z‘s collaborations with Pharrell dates all the way back to the beginning of this century with “I Just Wanna Love U” from Hov’s The Dynasty: Roc La Familia. Pharrell co-wrote the song with Too $hort, Jay, Notorious B.I.G., Diddy and his Neptunes/N.E.R.D. partner Chad Hugo. Along with co-writing, Pharrell is featured on the track. “I Just Wanna Love U” peaked at No. 11 on the Hot 100.
Madonna ft. Kanye West – “Beat Goes On” (2008)
“Beat Goes On” was a true team effort with Madonna, Pharrell and Kanye West — It’s a wonder that with such starpower, the song never cracked the Hot 100. Can’t win them all.
Providence’s Own DJ Mystical Michael Wins a WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award® 2015
Providence, RI – March 18, 2015 – WeddingWire, the nation’s leading online wedding marketplace, named {Enter Your Business Name} as a winner of the prestigious WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® 2015 for Fun Rhode Island Wedding DJ in Providence!
The WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® 2015 recognizes the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism. The esteemed awards are given to the top local wedding vendors in more than 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, based on their professional achievements from the previous year.
While many industry award winners are selected by the host organization, the WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® winners are determined solely based on reviews from real newlyweds and their experiences working with DJ Mystical Michael. Award-winning vendors are distinguished for the quality, quantity, consistency and timeliness of the reviews they have received from their past clients.
It was fun being guest music expert on Phoenix community radio 1480 KPHX about The Jersey Boys film focusing on the music history of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. I grew-up with family legends related to Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
“Breakthrough Entertainment” travels back in time to December 1963 in honor of the release of the new musical biopic “Jersey Boys” with actor Jason Kappus, who portrays Bob Gaudio in Las Vegas’s stage production of the show, and DJ Michael Swerdloff, AKA, DJ Mystical Michael, whose family members were friends with Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Other guests include “Ping Pong Summer” writer/director Michael Tully, “50 to 1” filmmakers Jim Wilson and Faith Conroy and Dean Martin tribute artist Drew Anthony while other films featured include “The Grand Seduction,” “The Fault in Our Stars” and “22 Jump Street.”
Iggy Azalea Tops Hot 100 With ‘Fancy,’ Matches Beatles’ Historic Mark by Gary Trust
“As the Australian rapper rises 2-1 with ‘Fancy’ and 3-2 as a guest on Ariana Grande‘s ‘Problem,’ Azalea joins the Beatles as the only artists to rank at Nos. 1 and 2 simultaneously with their first two Hot 100 hits
It’s a fab week for Iggy Azalea, who earns a chart honor not achieved since the Beatles swarmed the U.S. in early 1964. The Australian rapper crowns the Billboard Hot 100 with her debut hit “Fancy,” featuring Charli XCX (2-1). As Azalea also rises 3-2 as the featured artist on Ariana Grande’s “Problem,” Azalea joins the Beatles as the only acts to rank at Nos. 1 and 2 simultaneously with their first two Hot 100 hits.
Action abounds on this week’s Hot 100, including climbs into the top 10 for Nico & Vinz and Jason Derulo, while “Fancy” additionally takes over atop the Digital Songs chart, so let’s dive into our weekly look at the numbers behind the Hot 100’s top 10 and more.
Iggy Azalea, Charli XCX – Fancy (2014 Billboard Music Awards) Video
Iggy Azalea adds a chapter to the Hot 100’s record book by achieving a feat that the Beatles last earned on the Feb. 22, 1964, chart. That week, the Fab Four’s debut pop culture-changing smash “I Want to Hold Your Hand” held at No. 1 and “She Loves You” lifted 3-2. The songs had debuted the weeks of Jan. 18 and 25, 1964, respectively, and soared to the chart’s top two spots after the band made its landmark appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on Feb. 9, 1964.
(Incredibly, “Hand” and “Loves” would hold the top two rungs for six weeks, with “Hand” on top for four frames before they swapped spots. On April 4, 1964, “Loves” fell 1-3 and “Hand,” 2-4, so, that week, the Beatles would have to settle for a consolation prize: the group locked up the April 4 list’s entire top five, the only time an act has monopolized the region in the Hot 100’s 55-year history.)
Flash-forward 50 years to March 22, 2014, when Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” bowed at No. 88. On the May 17 tally, Iggy Azalea launched her second entry, as Grande’s “Problem” roared in at No. 3. (The same week, Iggy Azalea’s “Work” entered at No. 88; the cut climbs 77-63 this week.)
Expanding beyond only artists’ first two Hot 100 hits placing up at Nos. 1 and 2 in the same week, Iggy Azalea is the 15th act to double up at those ranks with any two titles. Iggy Azalea’s the first since Pharrell Williams did so for five weeks last year as featured on Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” (also featuring T.I.) and Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky.” She’s just the third woman to rank at Nos. 1 and 2 concurrently, following Mariah Carey (Sept. 10, 2005) and Ashanti (five weeks, 2002).
Iggy Azalea additionally becomes only the fourth solo female rapper ever to top the Hot 100. Lauryn Hill was the first, having taken her debut solo hit “Doo Wop (That Thing)” to No. 1 for two weeks in November 1998. (She had first made her mark with the Fugees.) In 2001, Lil’ Kim led for five weeks with Christina Aguilera, Mya and P!nk on “Lady Marmalade,” while Shawnna assisted Ludacris on “Stand Up,” which topped the Dec. 6, 2003, chart.
Notably, a pair of other prominent female rappers have yet to reach the Hot 100’s summit. Among her nine top 10s, Missy Elliott climbed to No. 2 twice: for 10 weeks in 2002 with “Work It” and for seven frames in 2005 as a guest on Ciara’s “1, 2 Step.” Nicki Minaj has also tallied nine top 10s, reaching No. 3 twice, both in 2011: as featured on Britney Spears’ “Till the World Ends” and with her own “Super Bass.” This week, Minaj debuts at No. 47 on the Hot 100 with her new single “Pills N Potions.”
(Honorable mention to Blondie, who, led by frontwoman Debbie Harry, is widely regarded as scoring the Hot 100’s first rap No. 1, “Rapture,” in 1981.)
Not to be lost in the celebration of Iggy Azalea’s new Hot 100 leader, Charli XCX likewise lands her first No. 1. In her sole prior visit, the U.K. pop singer/songwriter peaked at No. 7 a year ago this month as featured on Icona Pop’s “I Love It.”
Until this week, the last time that at least two solo women had teamed for a Hot 100 No. 1? Rihanna and Britney Spears sent “S&M” to the top of the April 30, 2011, chart. That title marked the first all-solo female No. 1 collab since “Lady Marmalade” nearly 10 years earlier. (The last pairing of only two solo women at the summit prior to “Fancy” and “S&M”? Brandy and Monica, who fought their way to No. 1 for 13 weeks in 1998 with “The Boy Is Mine.”)
(One other fun fact regarding the coronation of “Fancy”: the new Hot 100 is dated June 7, 2014. That makes for a perfect birthday present for the soon-to-be 24-year-old Azalea, who was born on June 7, 1990.)
How did “Fancy” fly to the Hot 100’s top spot? The song surges by sweeping the chart’s top Digital, Streaming and Airplay Gainer awards (for the second time in four weeks). It rises 2-1 on Digital Songs with a 44 percent gain to 336,000 downloads sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Aiding the song’s advance? Azalea and Charli XCX performed it on the Billboard Music Awards on May 18, the day before the latest sales tracking week began on May 19. “Fancy” spends a second week at No. 1 on Streaming Songs (14 million U.S. streams, up 66 percent, according to Nielsen BDS) and reaches the Radio Songs top five (7-5; 104 million, up 23 percent).
Ariana Grande, Iggy Azalea – Problem (Billboard Music Awards) Video
“Problem,” meanwhile, pushes 3-2 on the Hot 100, also with gains in each of the chart’s three metrics. It dips 1-2 on Digital Songs after spending its first three weeks at No. 1, but grows by 15 percent to 284,000. Grande likewise sang the song on the Billboard Music Awards (after Azalea performed “Fancy”; Azalea returned to the stage to join Grande for “Problem”). It slips 2-3 on Streaming Songs (10.4 million, up 39 percent) and bounds 16-10 on Radio Songs top 10 (73 million, up 30 percent), where it’s her first top 10 hit; her debut single, “The Way,” featuring Mac Miller, reached No. 12 on Radio Songs last year.
As she competes with herself (and Grande) at No. 2, Azalea handily lands the Hot 100’s top spot, as “Fancy” (up 46 percent) boasts 28 percent more overall chart points than “Problem” (up 25 percent).”
What a great accomplishment for the young artist Iggy Azalea. Regardless of what you think of her music, this is a unique experience and needs to be acknowledged.
DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ and Boston DJ
Ask about my Rhode Island Wedding DJ and Rhode Island Party DJ Guarantee!
As a professional DJ that also happens to be a Counselor and Life Coach, there is no way that I would not post Pharrell Sobs Tears Of Joy! The fact that these videos are being made all over the world has thrilled me since I first heard about it a while back. This is great! Regardless of how you feel about Pharrell Williams “Happy” the energy and force that people are creating videos dancing happily has to make you feel good. It is rare that pop music has things to celebrate these days, this is one of them.
I thought it would be fun to post some photos of people dancing happily at weddings and parties I have been DJ lately within the article.
Pharrell Sobs Tears Of Joy While Watching The World Dance To ‘Happy’ (Video)
Pharrell is so “Happy” that he’s crying tears of joy.
The legendary singer/producer/style icon/large hat wearer/all-around good dude sat down with Oprah to discuss all things “Happy.”
While sitting with her and watching fan-created videos to his song, Pharrell broke down in tears. Why? Because the song is beautiful, the videos are incredible and people all over the world love it.
Pharrell created a unifying song that knows no boundaries. Held together by an infectious melody, feel-good lyrics you can’t help but love and an energy that can’t be surmised in words, Pharrell has created something incredible and timeless.
The seven-time Grammy winner has been in the game and seen success for decades, but he is still managing to reinvent himself, even at age 41.
In his interview with Oprah, the gravity of his hard work finally sinks in, and you can feel a sense of relief wash over him. Pharrell proved to the world, and himself, that he still has it and that he’s actually better than ever.
Between Robin Thicke’s summer anthem “Blurred Lines” and “Happy,” Pharrell has held the number one slot a total of 19 weeks and counting since June 2013. In addition to his work with Daft Punk, Pharrell shows no signs of slowing up, and even his giant hat can’t weigh him down!
20 hit songs meant for other singers is taken from an article in Billboard last year. It is interesting to look at some of the songs that pop stars chose to pass on that became hits for other artists.
Last week, Nicole Scherzinger revealed in an interview that she had the opportunity to record “We Found Love,” the Calvin Harris-produced dance smash that became the biggest hit of Rihanna’s thriving career, but let the chance slip through her fingers. “I passed on ‘We Found Love,'” Scherzinger admitted to Notion Magazine. “I’ve got the demo of that song and I was busy at the time.”
Surprisingly, this occurrence is not at all uncommon in the music world: the past half-century is littered with examples of iconic pop songs that were originally intended for someone else to perform. Imagine a world in which Britney Spears is singing “Umbrella,” Hillary Duff scored a monster hit with “Since U Been Gone” and Paris Hilton asked “Don’t Cha” instead of Scherzinger’s old group, the Pussycat Dolls. Strange to consider, isn’t it? But some of these missed opportunities were pretty close to becoming reality.
Check out these 20 instances of smash songs originally intended for other artists, and let us know which one is the most mind-blowing to consider in the comments section below.
“Telephone”
Turned Down By: Britney Spears
Recorded by: Lady Gaga
For those who love comparing Britney Spears and Lady Gaga, this one is a doozy: Gaga originally wrote “Telephone” to be included on Spears’ “Circus” album, but after the pop superstar rejected it, Gaga saved the track for later inclusion on her “Fame Monster” release. A demo of Spears singing the track supposedly leaked online in 2010, but we’re unlikely to ever hear Spears’ polished take on the song.
“Disturbia”
Turned Down By: Chris Brown
Recorded by: Rihanna
Months before the 2009 Grammy Awards, Chris Brown co-penned an electro-pop jam that was considered for the deluxe edition of his “Exclusive” album. Brown opted to record “Forever” instead, and gave “Disturbia” to his girlfriend Rihanna, who turned it into another No. 1 hit on the Hot 100. Brown could have easily turned Brian Kennedy’s propulsive beat into a radio hit of his own, but the track just sounds cleaner with Rihanna out in front.
“Friends in Low Places”
Previously Recorded By: Mark Chesnutt
Made Famous By: Garth Brooks
While Brooks claimed in the liner notes of “The Hits” that “Friends in Low Places” was originally held for him, Mark Chesnutt, who enjoyed a run of success in the early 90s, also recorded the song. His version appears on his 1990 debut “Too Cold at Home” — released only a month after Brooks’ “No Fences” — and was the B-side to his 1991 single “Broken Promise Land.”
Imagine, if you will, that Michael Jackson’s final album was comprised of Neptunes-produced bangers like “Rock Your Body” instead of the uneven fare of 1999’s “Invincible.” And imagine that Justin Timberlake’s solo debut was not blessed with tracks like this ubiquitous dance-starter. MJ passed on “Rock Your Body,” and a number of other “Justified” songs, before the tracks went to JT, sending us into an alternate pop universe that still resonates today.
“Since U Been Gone”
Turned Down By: Pink, Hillary Duff
Recorded By: Kelly Clarkson
Dr. Luke and Max Martin originally teamed up to give P!nk another hit, and when she reportedly turned it down, they reached out to Hillary Duff. But the story goes that Clive Davis convinced the producers to give the song to Clarkson, who fashioned it into the centerpiece of her “Breakaway” and helped it sell 2.6 million downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
“N—as in Paris”
Turned Down By: Pusha T
Recorded By: Jay-Z & Kanye West
Hit-Boy’s bonkers beat on the “Watch The Throne” hit could have been the property of the former Clipse member, but even he doesn’t know if it would have turned out as irresistible as Jay and Ye made it. “I tell people all the time that I don’t know if I would’ve attacked it that way,” he said in a 2011 interview, “which means the record might not have been as special once I got on it.”
“Gold Digger”
Turned Down By: Shawnna
Recorded By: Kanye West
“Gold Digger” became one of Yeezy’s biggest hits to date, but would the Jamie Foxx-assisted “Late Registration” jam topped the Hot 100 if it had been recorded by Chicago rapstress Shawnna? After she passed on the beat, West rewrote the hook to accommodate a male perspective, and struck, er, gold.
“S.O.S.”
Turned Down By: Christina Milian
Recorded By: Rihanna
In a hits-packed career, “S.O.S.” still stands out for Rihanna: the infectious dance track spent three weeks atop the Hot 100, notching the Barbadian star her first number one single. Christina Milian, who infamously passed up the chance to record the track, certainly could have used the smash single — her last mainstream hit was “Dip It Low” in 2004, and she hasn’t released an album since 2006, the same year that “S.O.S.” reigned on the radio.
“Umbrella”
Turned Down By: Britney Spears
Recorded By: Rihanna
Back in 2007, a full-fledged Britney Spears comeback was far from assured, after a series of personal meltdowns prevented the pop superstar from once again reaching greatness. Legend has it that “Umbrella” writer/co-producer The-Dream offered the song to Brit as a way to engineer a return to the throne, but that her management nixed the track, which eventually went to Rihanna and became a No. 1 record. It’s not hard to imagine Spears’ voice on the track, but it’s impossible to think how a lack of “Umbrella” would have changed Rihanna’s career.
“Nothin’ On You”
Turned Down By: Lupe Fiasco
Recorded By: B.o.B.
Before B.o.B and Bruno Mars linked up to perform the song that would serve as a breakout to both, “Nothin’ On You” was originally offered to another Atlantic hip-hop artist, Lupe Fiasco. Apparently the label rejected Fiasco’s version of the track, which made the rapper reach a breaking point. “It was less about the bruised ego but more the audacity of it. It was mentally destructive,” he said in an interview after the song’s release.
“…Baby One More Time”
Turned Down By: TLC
Recorded By: Britney Spears
This is one denial that seemed to work out for all parties involved: Max Martin’s pop track was originally offered to TLC for their “Fan Mail” album, but the R&B group rejected the song, which eventually served as Spears’ debut single. Without “…Baby One More Time,” Spears perhaps does not arrive in such a huge way; meanwhile, TLC packed “FanMail” with hits like “No Scrubs” and “Unpretty,” and the album was eventually nominated for album of the year at the Grammy Awards.
“How Will I Know”
Turned Down By: Janet Jackson
Recorded By: Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston’s No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 stands as one of the artist’s most iconic tracks — but it could have sounded a lot different with Janet Jackson at the helm. Songwriters George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam reportedly approached Janet’s management team with a demo, but a swift decline forced them to look elsewhere. Thanks in large part to Clive Davis, Houston was given the track and turned it into a behemoth.
“Whataya Want From Me”
Turned Down By: P!nk
Recorded By: Adam Lambert
Adam Lambert’s biggest hit to date could have ended up on “Funhouse” by P!nk, who co-wrote the track with Max Martin and Shellback before delivering it to the “American Idol” runner-up. P!nk eventually recorded her own version of “Whataya Want From Me,” complete with the exact same arrangement, and placed it on her “Greatest Hits… So Far!!!” compilation in 2010 — but Lambert’s rafter-reaching vocals still score the victory in a side-by-side comparison.
“Toxic”
Turned Down By: Kylie Minogue
Recorded By: Britney Spears
Britney’s 2004 smash won the pop star her first Grammy and has sold 1.9 million downloads since its release according to Nielsen SoundScan, but the seductive song could have been a logical sequel to Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Head.” “I listened to a snippet of it in the record company offices and decided against it,” Minogue said in a 2008 interview. “It’s like the fish that got away. You just have to accept it.”
“Holiday”
Turned Down By: Mary Wilson
Recorded By: Madonna
The unstoppable “Holiday” was passed around to Phyllis Hyman and then to Supremes founding member Mary Wilson before it came to Madonna, who guided the track to a No. 16 peak on the Hot 100 and gave the upstart singer her first taste of the chart. How would the song have sounded with an R&B backbone? The world will never know.
The Neptunes’ slinky pop track was almost given a completely different context: instead of becoming the sexually charged lead single of her more adult “Britney” album, “I’m A Slave 4 U” almost ended up as a game-changing single for Janet Jackson, who passed on the opportunity to record the song. That’s right: if Janet opted to take on “Slave,” maybe Britney NEVER dances with a python on the VMAs stage!
“Thinkin Bout You”
First Recorded By: Frank Ocean
Famously Recorded By: Bridget Kelly
Ocean’s record of the year Grammy nominee was originally written for Roc Nation artist Bridget Kelly, but in 2011, Ocean leaked his own demo of the track on his Tumblr page. Fast-forward one year, and the vulnerable slow jam is featured on both Kelly’s “Every Girl” EP (under the title “Thinking About Forever”) and Ocean’s best-selling “Channel Orange” LP. Both versions are worth hearing, but Ocean’s personal cut still lingers with fans, years after that Tumblr post.
“Call Me”
Turned Down By: Stevie Nicks
Recorded By: Blondie
Disco producer Giorgio Moroder originally asked Fleetwood Mac’s lead songstress to help compose lyrics and deliver vocals for his latest dance confection, but when contractual issues prevented the collaboration from happening, Moroder turned to Debbie Harry, who co-wrote “Call Me.” Nicks scored a huge hit two years later with “Edge of Seventeen,” but could she have guided “Call Me” to its No. 1 spot on the Hot 100, as Blondie did?
“Don’t Cha”
Turned Down By: Paris Hilton
Recorded By: The Pussycat Dolls
The salacious single was originally offered to both the Sugababes and Paris Hilton before ending up with the Pussycat Dolls, who used the track as the lead single from their 2005 debut album “PCD.” Hilton’s 2006 debut LP “Paris” never scored a hit on the level of “Don’t Cha,” and could have used the track as an introduction to her short-lived sonic style.
“Let’s Get Loud”
Turned Down By: Gloria Estefan
Recorded By: Jennifer Lopez
“Let’s Get Loud” was originally written by Estefan and Kike Santander for the Latin-pop superstar to use for herself, but the song was eventually passed to Lopez, who turned it into one of the biggest hits from his 1999 debut “On the 6.” The song, which has sold 413,000 downloads according to Nielsen SoundScan, surely could have worked for Estefan as well, but helped catapult Lopez to a new level of fame.
The song I am the most curious about is Michael Jackson performing “Rock Your Body”, could have been interesting. Is there a song in particular of the 20 Hit Songs Meant For Other Singers that you would have liked to hear?
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This weeks DJ Music Chart has Katy Perry on top again with “Dark Horse”. Lorde “Team” is right behind with number two, the rest of the top five Bastille “Pompeii”, Pharrell Williams “Happy” and Jason Derulo “Talk Dirty”. Lorde is close to having back to back number one hits as the first New Zealander to top the DJ Music Charts.
DJ Music Chart – Week of March 10 Featuring Pharrel Williams “Happy”
“Happy” is a song performed by American singer and producer Pharrell Williams, from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack album. It also serves as the lead single from Williams’ second studio album, G I R L (2014). The song was written and produced by Williams. It was released on November 21, 2013 alongside a long-form music video presented via the website 24hoursofhappy.com. The song was reissued on December 16, 2013 by Back Lot Music, under exclusive license to Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment.
“Happy” has been highly successful, topping the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and DJ music charts in 19 other countries. It has sold one million copies in the United Kingdom, and has reached the summit on three separate occasions, both records in their own right.
DJ Music Chart – Featuring Pharrel Williams “Happy” Music Video
To coincide with the single release, the website 24hoursofhappy.com was launched featuring a visual presentation of “Happy” advertised as being “the world’s first 24 hour music video”. The video consists of the four-minute song repeated with various people dancing around Los Angeles and miming along. Williams himself appears 24 times on the hour, and there are a number of celebrity cameos including Whit Hertford (1:04am), Kelly Osbourne (1:28am), Magic Johnson (5:36am), Urijah Faber (8:36am), Sérgio Mendes(10:32am) and Jimmy Kimmel (11:48am), Odd Future (1:48pm), Steve Carell (5:08pm), Jamie Foxx (5:28pm), Ana Ortiz (5:32pm), Miranda Cosgrove (5:40pm),JoJo (6:16pm). The minions from Despicable Me 2 make several appearances throughout the film, including one scene at 3:00am, in which Pharrell and the minions dance in a movie theatre that is playing the scene from Despicable Me 2 in which “Happy” appears. A lone, one eyed minion also appears dancing to song in its entirety at 4:40pm. The site allows users to navigate to various points in the 24-hour timeframe, including all 360 four-minute segments and each hourly segment with Pharrell. An official four-minute edit of the video was also released on YouTube. The video’s creative director was Yoann Lemoine.
The original video spawned many cover videos on YouTube in which people from different cities throughout the world dance along the song. Those videos are usually called “Pharrell Williams – Happy – We Are from [name of the city].
What a great video to feature for this week’s DJ Music Cart song! So full of energy and fun!
What is your favorite song on this DJ Music Chart?
DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & Boston DJ
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