ABBA inducted into Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame

Legendary Swedish group "ABBA" is finally getting its much needed praise as they will be inducted into the 2010 Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame.

Started around the 1970's, Bjorn, Anni-Frid, Benny, and Agnetha started their performances and since then, they have hit the big time. What was once just four friends singing original songs has become a cultural phenomena.

ABBA is famous for songs such as Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia!, and Waterloo. They are one of the best-selling artists of all time, selling over 370 million records worldwide. No matter what genre you listen to, they are a great relaxing band to just dance and sing along to.

Even though it took 30 years to do so, ABBA is finally getting the credit they deserve.

The Tony Hawk Effect Hits Guitar Hero

Being the big Guitar Hero/Rock Band fan i am, i have to talk about the latest trend Activision has been doing with the franchise. Well, it's related to music in some way, right?

For those who don't know what the Tony Hawk effect is, it's simply this. Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1-4 were great games. However, they started to constantly come out with games throughout the year and the quality of the games started to deterioorate. In the end, the Tony Hawk franchise hit a downfall in "Tony Hawk Ride" and the company needs to stop it now.

Well the same thing is happening with Guitar Hero. The first 3 Guitar Hero games were great and unleashed everyone's rock fantasy. However, Activision started to "milk" the franchise by releasing unneeded rip-offs such as Band Hero and DJ Hero. Hopefully they realize this and stop making these terrible spin-offs. Oh, and lol at the picture above.

All We Are Saying Is: Give Classic Rock A Chance

Classic rock, known to teenagers as "that boring genre" is quickly being forgotten and for the wrong reasons. No. The Beatles is not the only classic rock band in the world.

People underestimate the amazing skills these classic musicians contain. Frontman Steve Miller is an excellent example of great classic rock. He composed great ballads such as "The Joker" and "Fly Like An Eagle". The terrible stereotype of classic rock is that it's "boring" and "lame" to listen to. In reality, some classic rock songs are actually energetic and get the mood going. "Helter Skelter" by The Beatles and "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd are good songs that relieve a lot of mental stress.

So try to give this falling genre a chance. At least make an attempt to listen to these songs. Trust me, you won't regret it.

Lady Gaga Is Talented

Now, I know for a fact that all of you are saying, "Nuh uh! She's just a wanna-be pop singer!" It's hard to see through all of her make-up and beauty, but she actually has some talent inside.

Unlike other pop singers, she is not just a vocalist. She is multi-instrumental since she plays the synthesizer and the piano in most of her songs. Her voice isn't "whiny" or "powerful". Her voice is more like a whimsy and sensative tone that gets straight to the point. Lady Gaga is known for her weird dress styles. She wears them because each dress expresses the song she is playing and it is a symbol of her love of fashion and style. Her music is very special also. Songs such as "Poker Face" and "LoveGame" are just catchy tunes everyone can listen to.

I fully understand that most kids are into the "metal" and "hardcore" music. But at least give pop a chance. It's a great party starter and can really lighten up a mood.

Ska Is Dead: But Is It Worth Reviving?

It is noted as the underclassmen of music. No one really appreciates it as much as it should. But does ska have a chance to revive, or will it crash and burn with the other fallen genres?

Ska is considered the "fun" genre. It contains trumpets and other brass instruments that makes people dance. Old ska bands such as Sublime, Reel Big Fish, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Less Than Jake, and Goldfinger rules the genre of ska. However, because of other rising genres, it fell to the ground. Ska bands have decreased over time and is slowly dissipating.

Luckily, some bands decided to take this problem head-on. New ska bands have arrived, such as Streetlight Manifesto and Big D and the Kid's Table to bring back the genre. Now i want to know what you think: is there a chance or not for ska?

South America getting some "Chinese Democracy"

For those who didn't understand the title, "Chinese Democracy" is the latest album released by Guns N Roses. They are currently making plans to have a concert tour in South America starting Spring '10. This will be the first time they toured in South America since their tour in 2001.

Their songs during this tour will mostly consists of songs from the "Chinese Democracy" album, such as "Better" and "Shackler's Revenge". However, expect some of their other famous songs like "Welcome To The Jungle" and "Sweet Child O' Mine". They aren't only going to tour in South America, however. Frontman of Guns N Roses Axl Roses also announce plans to tour in America during January 2010.

For One Last Run: Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney Reunite

The remaining Fab Four will return to greatness once again for one last run through the grass. It seems forever since the Beatles have been in the spotlight due to the breakup.

According to Rolling Stone, Ringo Star stated that Paul McCartney will accompany him in some of his new tracks for his upcoming CD called "Y Not". Although other guest artists, such as Joe Walsh and Ben Harper, will assist Ringo, Ringo believes that McCartney will be the greatest factor of the album. This has been one of their plans on the rise to the top again. Both have already performed at a benefit concert together.

Hopefully, this will raise more awareness of the Beatles and overall help Ringo and Paul in their rise.

Screaming A New Generation: The Rise Of Metal

It seems that the age of classic rock has ended. Now a new genre has taken the world by storm, a little genre called metal. It hasn't appeared until 1990 but now it is the biggest hit amongst teenagers. Bands such as Metallica and Iron Maiden spontaneously attracted many newcomers into the world of metal.

From the fast paced beat to the sick solos, metal is considered one of music's most well-known music. The messages in metal vary from real life controversies to even subliminal messages. Metal also has subgenres such as black metal and thrash metal.

Even though not everyone accepts this genre of music, it still has a long lasting impact on the music industry.

Pass Or Go #2: Indestructible

Disturbed, one of the best selling metal bands of all time, does it again with their newest album.

Indestructible is a more trashy version of Disturbed with a darker theme but this isn't necessarliy bad. Songs such as "Indestructible" and "Inside The Fire" conveys deep meanings such as relationships and war. This also comes with sick riffs and technical yet savvy solos. Singer David Draiman still has his signature sounds and overall spooky tone. This is definately one of Disturbed's better albums.

I definately give this one a go. If you are a metal fan, this has got to be in your library. Every song is unique and incredible in its own way. You wouldn't regret this decision. Classic Disturbed has done it again.

No Sweet Emotion Here: Steven Tyler Might Quit Aerosmith

Classic rock band Aerosmith is getting into the spotlights lately after Joe Perry, lead guitarist, suggested that Steven Tyler, singer and frontman, might be quitting the band. Steven Tyler has been doing some solo projects lately and hasn't been in contact with the rest of Aerosmith for awhile. Joe Perry even decided to hold auditions to replace Steven Tyler, who was on his solo tour at the time.

However, Steven Tyler stated that he wouldn't be leaving Aerosmith at any time. Joe Perry, on the other hand, doesn't believe him and thinks that he might be breaking free from the band any time now. Joe Perry and Steven Tyler were starting to get into arguments and problems arose, causing the seperation. Anything is possible at this point.

Pass Or Go #1: When The World Comes Down

Every week I will be doing a review of some of the newest albums coming out and whether or not you should give it a try.

The All American Rejects, for the past 3 years, have been working hard on their new album and now it has finally arrived. However, it's not all that it is hyped to be.

The songs in here are better than you'd expect from a pop band. The most well known song from the album, Gives You Hell, is a classic bubblegum pop song that is a good party starter, but not that good of a song in overview. Most of the songs, besides Real World, are slow, repetitive, and just not the classic AAR we're not used to. The only songs worth checking out would be Real World and Gives You Hell; the other songs are considered bland. People would wonder what happened to Tyson Ritter. His voice got way too girlier and he isn't keeping up with his own talent.

I would pass on this one. It's good checking out maybe a couple of songs there, but it's definately not worth buying the entire album. Die-hard AAR fans (and i say this loosely) would buy this pack in an instant. But for the rest of us, we'll just wait for a better album.

A Distraction Or An Opportunity? A Look At Music Games

There have been many opinions about this topic. Due to the releases of games such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero, many people have been questioning whether or not it distracts kids from the to play the real guitar. Many say it does since it takes the same amount of time to learn a real guitar rather than playing a plastic instruments. Others say that it can help with rhythm and technique. However, who is right and who is wrong?

Honestly, there is no real answer to this question. I can see how people can become irritated, with them learning for years and years to play the real guitar and then seeing some little kid pretending to be a rock star. However, music games are not supposed to be a distraction in any way. In the image above, it shows how people play the guns for one reason, to have fun. There is nobody who would say that they're good at an isntrument because they played it on a plastic instrument. So really it shouldn't be a problem to anyone.

Michael's Last Stand: This Is It

The King Of Pop makes his last debut as the much anticipated movie, "This Is It" is released in theaters. For those unaware on what the movie is about, it shows how Michael Jackson prepares for the show by doing jobs such as rehearsing with the dancers and musicians, helping set up the lights, and much more. It also showcases full classic songs such as "Smooth Criminal" and "Bad" as he shows off his unique dance moves.

The movie perfectly shows Michael Jackson at his best, from his trademarked moonwalked to his up-beat voice. Even though he was getting old, he is still able to perform the moves he'd do 20 years ago. Many fans will fall in love with this great documentary. Even newcomers will be introduced to Michael Jackson's legacy.

Oasis Disbands

For 18 years, Noel and Jay Gallagher have been able to become one of the most indigenous rock bands around the world. Songs such as "Wonderwall" and "Don't Look Back In Anger" have stunned rockers everywhere, making Oasis a top selling band. However, things have taken a turn for the worse.

After a concert in one of their tours, the two brothers got into a big fight. Liam got angry at Jay and broke his guitar. Seeing that the brothers couldn't make up, the band manager decided to cancel the entire tour. This concerned many Oasis fans. Noel gave up on Liam and quit the band, declaring that both of them would never work things out. Noel is currently working on a solo project while the rest of Oasis will try to work without him.

The news have undoubedly affected the rock world as fans respond with concern. Oasis has been an influence to many upcoming bands and this would not help them at all.

The Truth About Rap: Getting Behind The Mic

Rap is widely known as the controversial genre of music. The upbeat tempo along with mostly-inappropriate lyrics your mother wouldn't want you to listen to adds to the battle against hip-hop. A lot of mainstream songs these days have a negative message, talking about sex, drugs, money, violence, etc. It seems stereotypical that this is all that rappers think about. But the truth is, not ALL rap is about this. there are many other rap groups that talk about controversial issues like racism and the environment . For example, the Black Eyed Peas, around 2001, released a song called "Where Is The Love?" that explains terrorism and how America isn't treating it like it's supposed to.

The real problem is that minors are being exposed to this kinds of music. This causes the kid's mind to accept this music as right and become a bad influence. Soon, they will become delinquents and end up on the wrong side of the tracks. This is why music labels need to step up on enforcing the rule on releasing songs such as verifications on music distributors such as iTunes and Rhapsody. 

Not all rap is considered "thuggish". A lot of people would call it "disturbing" or "trash" while others would say that it's "inspirational" and "masterpieces." The world revolves around opinions such as these, and it needs to be dealt with.